His brothers proclaim that this has solved problems. He meets a girl named Evelyn and they have sex. He flees to his abandoned house in the woods, where a mysterious voice sings to him. This fails and Charles tries to confide his feelings to his brothers but they rebuff him. In an attempt to put his shame and anger at rest, Charles is baptized in the Baptist Church. Charles feels extreme shame and feels unable to tell anybody what happened.Ĭharles is haunted by images of male figures at night. As Billie sees Chester and Charles are getting on well, she says both of them can sleep in the same room together. He steals from a candy store with Charles under the pretext of showing Charles how to be a man. While Billie and Charles's brothers go to collect the spoils of an overturned meat truck, Charles dreams of a better life, collecting things from a junkyard.Īt Thanksgiving, his cousin Chester comes to visit. She decides to start her life over again and move to Uncle Paul's Farm (aria: "Leave It in Road"). When Billie discovers his infidelity she threatens him with a gun and tosses him out. Spinner, Billie's husband, is a womanizing spendthrift. He craves attention from his stressed mother, Billie.īillie works in a chicken factory and Charles spends time at his Uncle Paul's farm. Destiny entices him to go back to his childhood. Blow (pictured) Act 1 Ĭharles is driving down a Louisiana road, with gun in hand, to murder his cousin Chester. The story is based on the memoir of journalist Charles M. Roles Roles, voice types, and premiere cast Role These performances were conducted by Daniela Candillari. The Lyric Opera of Chicago presented the opera in March/April 2022. It was recorded as part of the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD film series and the recording won a Grammy for Best Opera Recording in 2023. 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. The co-director and choreographer was Camille A. It was the first opera by a African-American composer to be performed at the Metropolitan Opera since its founding in 1883. The Metropolitan Opera's 2021–2022 season opened with Fire Shut Up in My Bones on September 27, 2021. Performers included Julia Bullock and Davóne Tines. The conductor of the premiere performance was William Long. The opera made its world premiere on June 15, 2019, at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Williams in a review of the book: "He grows up amid mean if not absolute poverty he is molested both by a cousin and by an uncle his father is distant, an alcoholic and his parents separate under circumstances that involve his mother waving a gun about on more than one occasion". The essential elements are reflective of Blow's life. Whilst the opera's libretto and narrative reflect the content and themes of Blow's memoir, it is not a comprehensive retelling of the book. The title of the opera, which is also the title of Blow's memoir, is a biblical reference, specifically quoting Jeremiah 20:9. Aside from opera, Blanchard has won five Grammy Awards for his jazz records. It is the composer's second opera, following Champion in 2013. Composer Terence Blanchard performing in Rotterdam in 2014īlanchard described Fire Shut Up in My Bones as "opera in jazz".
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