Fire Shut Up in My Bones
Fire Shut Up in My Bones is an English-language opera in three acts, with music by Terence Blanchard and libretto by Kasi Lemmons.
Fire Shut Up in My Bones
The opera was first performed at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in 2019, and is based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Charles M. Blow. It opened at the Metropolitan Opera in 2021, the first opera by a black composer ever performed there.
The narrative focus of the opera is on Charles, a young African-American man growing up in poverty. As he comes of age, he must decide how to deal with the sexual abuse he previously suffered at the hands of his cousin. At the climax, he decides not to take revenge.
The opera includes flashbacks and the appearance of the protagonist's internal voices in the form of female spirits.
Performance history[edit]
The opera made its world premiere on June 15, 2019, at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.[7][8] The conductor of the premiere performance was William Long. Performers included Julia Bullock and Davóne Tines.[9]
The Metropolitan Opera's 2021–2022 season opened with Fire Shut Up in My Bones on September 27, 2021.
It was the first opera by an African-American composer to be performed at the Metropolitan Opera since its founding in 1883.[10][11] The conductor was Yannick Nézet-Séguin. The co-director and choreographer was Camille A. Brown.[12] Fire Shut Up in My Bones had not been intended as a season opener at the Metropolitan Opera, but general manager Peter Gelb stated that the Black Lives Matter movement had informed his decision to move the piece to such a prominent slot.[13] It was recorded as part of the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD film series [14] and the recording won a Grammy for Best Opera Recording in 2023.[15][16][17]
The Lyric Opera of Chicago presented the opera in March/April 2022. These performances were conducted by Daniela Candillari.[18]
2023 Grammy Award[edit]
The audio recording of the stage production won a 2023 Grammy for Best Opera Recording[26] [27] with The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and The Metropolitan Opera Chorus, along with Nézet-Séguin, producer David Frost, baritone Will Liverman, sopranos Latonia Moore and Blue and treble Russell III, making him one of the youngest recipients of the awards at the time.[28]