Blanchard - Fire Shut Up in My Bones (Liverman, Russell, NY Met, ...

Blanchard - Fire Shut Up in My Bones (Liverman, Russell, NY Met, Nézet-Séguin) (320kbps .mp3)

From the Metropolitan Opera in New York: Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts a new production of Fire Shut Up in My Bones, by Grammy Award–winning jazz musician and composer Terence Blanchard. His adaptation of Charles M Blow’s moving memoir was first performed in 2019 at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.

Featuring a libretto by film-maker Kasi Lemmons, the opera tells a poignant and profound story about a young man’s journey to overcome a life of trauma and hardship.

Baritone Will Liverman stars as Charles, alongside soprano Angel Blue as Destiny, soprano Latonia Moore as Billie and Walter Russell III as Char’es-Baby.

This broadcast of the first opera by a Black composer ever to be performed by the Met is presented by Debra Lew Harder in conversation with Ira Siff.


Terence Blanchard: Fire Shut Up in My Bones

Charles ..... Will Liverman (baritone)
Char’es-Baby ..... Walter Russell III (treble)
Destiny/Loneliness/Greta ..... Angel Blue (soprano)
Billie, Charles's mother ..... Latonia Moore (soprano)
Spinner, her husband ..... Chauncey Packer (tenor)
Uncle Paul ..... Ryan Speedo Green (bass-baritone)
Chester ..... Chris Kenney (baritone)
Evelyn ..... Brittany Renee (soprano)
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus
Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Image: Ken Howard / Met Opera
Broadcast: 8 January 2022, BBC Radio 3
Performed : October 23, 2021