Episode 26

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Published on:

21st Feb 2022

More Than "The Black Mozart" (w/Dr. Julian Ledford)

Greetings, dear Scorekeepers! It's time for episode 26 of THE SCORE! This week is the first time we've all been together since the tragic death of Amir Locke, here in Minneapolis. So we invite you to process with us and invite you to join us in a conversation about what artists and arts organizations can and should do in the face of such senseless tragedy (0:04:16). Then, it's the conclusion of our three-part series on Black composer, Joseph Bologne! Today, we are so happy to be joined by Dr. Julian Ledford, Assistant Professor of French and French Studies at Sewanee, University of the South and author of "Joseph Boulogne, the Chevalier de Saint-George and the Problem With Black Mozart". Dr. Ledford gives us his passionately well-honed insights into Bologne's life, his rightful place in classical music history, and why the moniker "Black Mozart" is not only problematic, but highly inaccurate (0:37:38). And finally, it's more important than ever to end this episode with a moment of Pure Black Joy, and this week we've got art, food, and wellness (1:10:26)! What more could you ask for? Let's do it to it, y'all!

Hosts: Lee Bynum, Rocky Jones, Paige Reynolds

Guest: Dr. Julian Ledford

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Links

"Joseph Boulogne, the Chevalier de Saint-George and the Problem With Black Mozart" by Dr Julian Ledford

MN Opera's The Anonymous Lover (Website) (YouTube)

"Invitation to a Die-IN" by Dr. Nkeiru Okoye (YouTube)

"Yet Unheard" by Courtney Bryan (YouTube)

Mending Walls RVA (Website)

Alanna Morris Van Tassel (Website)

MOVE Fitness (YouTube)

MCE Creations (Website)

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New episodes of THE SCORE drop every other Monday. If you like what you hear, please support us and SUBSCRIBE to the show on your favorite podcast app and be sure to SHARE our show with your friends. Also, leaving a 5-star REVIEW on Apple Podcasts is a great way to help get the word out. For more info about the exciting EDI work happening at MN Opera, please visit mnopera.org/edi. Email your questions or comments to thescore@mnopera.org

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About the Podcast

The Score
News and commentary about opera, classical music, and pop culture seen through an antiracist and anti-oppressive lens
It's time to put opera on game! Hosts Lee Bynum, Paige Reynolds, and Rocky Jones are three Black and queer artists, pop culture aficionados, and arts administrators at Minnesota Opera, who are working every day to bring more diversity, equity, and inclusivity into opera and classical music. The Score is their provocative, thoughtful, and humorous commentary on the industry's past, present, and future, as seen through an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens. Each episode features a variety of stories from a variety of perspectives that bring People of the Global Majority, queer, trans and nonbinary folks, and everyone else into the discussion of ownership over and access to the art form. From the opera house to the statehouse to your house, each episode will amplify the voices of those in the field who are pushing the boundaries of what opera is, who it is for, and how it can transform us and our communities. New episodes come out every other Wednesday!