Opera on the avenue

Day-long festival (free) and Evening premiere Concert (ticketed)

Details

Lead Creative
Adrienne Danrich

Date
October 8th, 2022

Daytime Festival
10:30am-2:30pm festival (free)
600 Block of Cumberland St.
(near Pennsylvania Avenue, one block off of North Avenue)
and at the Pennsylvania Ave. Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library located at 1531 W North Ave, Baltimore, MD 21217

Evening Concert
7:30pm premiere concert (ticketed)
University Baptist Church
3501 N Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218

Join us for the culmination of the first phase of Opera on the Avenue! The free day-long festival will feature live performances, food, community vendors, and activities for kids. The highlight of the event will be a ticketed premiere performance created by soprano and writer Adrienne Danrich, focused on the story of African-American opera singer Anne Wiggins Brown, the first Bess in Gershwin’s iconic opera Porgy and Bess. Ms. Brown grew up in Old West Baltimore, just two blocks from the Arch Social Club where her father was a prominent early member.

Emmy-winning soprano, writer, and educator Adrienne Danrich, whose specialty is inviting the audience to listen, feel, and be inspired, is the lead creative on the project. Ms. Danrich has created an extraordinary program amplifying Anne Wiggins Brown's story, honoring her life and legacy in opera, spoken word, poetry, and dance.

This project is in partnership with the West Baltimore Re-Imagining and Redevelopment Project, the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Black Arts District, the No Boundaries Youth Organizers, and the Shake and Bake Family Fun Center. Special thank you to our event media sponsor, WYPR.

Creative Lead

Adrienne Danrich, Soprano

As an award winning singer, writer, composer, and educator, Adrienne Danrich is redefining what it means to be a creative performer. Adrienne is most notably recognized for winning a Midwest EMMY for her performance and narration of This Little Light of Mine: The Stories of Marian Anderson and Leontyne Price. The show, which Adrienne created, also received a Midwest EMMY nomination. Distinctive in her talent and charisma, Adrienne is known for going places other artists have not yet ventured.

PARTNERS

This 18-month project is supported by a generous Civic Practice grant from OPERA America, a grant from the T.Rowe Price Foundation, and through funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior and managed by the Baltimore National Heritage Area and the media partner is WYPR.

SUPPORTERS