Frederick Douglass (Ulysses Kay opera)

Frederick Douglass
Opera by Ulysses Kay
Frederick Douglass, the opera's protagonist
Librettist Donald Dorr
Premiere 12 April 1991 (1991-04-12)
Newark, New Jersey

Frederick Douglass is an opera in three acts composed by Ulysses Kay to a libretto by Donald Dorr. Its story is a semi-fictionalized account of the final years in the life of Frederick Douglass after his marriage to his second wife, Helen Pitts Douglass. The opera premiered on April 12, 1991 at Newark Symphony Hall performed by the New Jersey State Opera in a production directed by Louis Johnson and designed by Salvatore Tagliarino.[1][2]

Background

In 1978 it was announced that both Kay and Dorr received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts to work on the opera.[3] Dorr and Kay worked on the opera beginning in 1979 and completed it in 1985.[1]

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere cast
April 12, 1991
(Cond. Alfredo Silipigni)[4]
Frederick Douglass bass Kevin Maynor
Helen, (Helen Pitts Douglass), his wife soprano Klara Barlow
Howard, Douglass's son tenor Gregory Rahming
Aubrey, a young officer tenor Ronald Naldi
Senator Norton baritone Mark Delavan
Busby, a merchant tenor Mark Nicolson
Demler, a newsman tenor Kirk Redmann
Secretary Welles bass-baritone Kenneth Church
Major Domo bass-baritone Richard McKee
Mrs. Sly, a guest Jennifer Gucci
Mrs. Pry, a guest soprano Tracy Magliaro
Agnes, a servant soprano Christine D'Amico
Timothy, her lover tenor Tony Buonauro

References

  1. 1 2 Hobson 1994, p. 72.
  2. ↑ Abdul 1991, p. 30.
  3. ↑ "Dorr Gets Grant," New Pittsburgh Courier (July 15, 1978), p. 19.
  4. ↑ Frederick Douglass 1991.

Sources

  • Abdul, Raoul (April 27, 1991). "Ulysses Kay's opera, "Frederick Douglass," Makes Makes Impact: Reading the Score". New York Amsterdam News. New York.
  • "Dorr Gets Grant". New Pittsburgh Courier. Pittsburgh. July 15, 1978. p. 19.
  • Frederick Douglass, Newark, New Jersey, April 12, 1991 (program for the world premiere)
  • Hobson, Constance Tibbs; Richardson, Deborra A. (1994). Ulysses Kay: A Bio-Bibliography. Bio-Bibliographies in Music. 53. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313255466. OCLC 55741536.
  • Holland, Bernard (April 16, 1991). "The Struggles Of a Black Leader In Old America: An operatic life of Frederick Douglass". New York Times. p. C11.

Further reading

  • "American Composer Update". Pan Pines of Sigma Alpha Iota. Menosha, WI, US: George Banta Company. 84 (Winter): 32. 1992. ISSN 0889-7581. OCLC 609939631.
  • Kyle, Margaret Kelly (1979). "AmerAllegro". Pan Pines of Sigma Alpha Iota. Menosha, WI, US: George Banta Company. 71 (Winter): 36. ISSN 0889-7581. OCLC 609939631.
  • Wright, Josephine R. B. (1984). "New Music". The Black Perspective in Music. Cambria Heights, NY: Foundation for Research in the Afro-American Creative Arts. 12 (1: Spring): 143. JSTOR 1214977. OCLC 300234860. (Subscription required (help)).
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