While April 4 marks the 55th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, The Washington Chorus is taking the historic day to celebrate the civil rights icon’s life.
“April 4, our ‘Free At Last,’ concert is our chance to celebrate,” Eugene Rogers told The Informer in a WIN-TV interview.
As 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, “Free At Last,” held at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, will feature a performance of Undine Smith Moore’s “Scenes from the Life of a Martyr” (1981) and French composer Maurice Duruflé’s “Requiem” (1947).
“What better way to celebrate [the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech] than highlighting a Black female composer, who was born in Jarratt, Virginia,” emphasized Rogers, noting this is the D.C. premiere of Moore’s work, which was groundbreakingly nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1981.
Featuring performances of Moore’s and Durufle’s work offers the audience, what Rogers described as, “something new and something traditional.”
DEI on the Concert Stage
Rogers, who has served as artistic director since 2020 and recently learned his contract has been extended another five years, has been intentional in furthering his and The Washington Chorus’ mission of elevating diverse work.
“Everybody talks about diversity, equity and inclusion, and for me it’s a lived experience. I’m not doing things to check a box, I’m not doing things with an agenda, I just am not comfortable if everybody’s story, or at least as many people’s stories as possible is not told on that stage. That’s diversity in the arts,” Rogers explained. “Everybody should feel like they can come and be able to find themselves at least once a year in something.”
Highlighting the Beauty of King’s Life
The artistic director said Moore’s work broadens audiences’ ears and perspectives.
“Undine Smith Moore talks about all martyrs have lives, have things in common, and that this work, through a whole variety, is not only in the memory of Dr. King, but for all humanity, for all people who had a dream, for all people, for all times, everywhere. And so, yes, we’re honoring Dr. King, but we’re also thinking about all leaders,” he said.
Moore showcases King’s story as that of happiness and triumph, as opposed to tragedy, Rogers explained.
“She paints Dr. King, not just based on his assassination, she depicts his life as a young man, she depicts his life falling in love with Coretta…She then goes into his call into the ministry,” Rogers said. “The tragedy of his assassination – that’s only a small part of this work. So a lot of it is joy, and a lot of it is love, which we know is also part of the Black story, which also needs to be told on the concert stage. And hope – his triumphant ending of what he left, is the message she leaves.”
A Talented Cast and a Strong Story Worth Seeing
Then there’s the concert itself, which Rogers declared features outstanding performances.
“[There’s an] amazing cast of soloists. If you haven’t heard Brandie Sutton (soprano), or if you haven’t heard Rehanna Thelwell (mezzo-soprano)… If you haven’t heard Kenny Overton (baritone), and the new emerging talent Demetrious Sampson Jr. (tenor), you are in for a real treat,” Rogers proclaimed.
The artistic director said that “Free At Last,” also allows a moment to showcase Black talent and highlight Black joy.
“I want [the audience] to experience Black and brown excellence on that stage through these remarkable singers who have performed from the Metropolitan Opera stage to their local communities. I want them to leave there, hopefully with a better appreciation for the Black story, which is love, which is the power of ministry,” Rogers said.
Rogers said he is excited to bring a different kind of narrative of the Black experience to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall stage on April 4 in the 7:30 performance, which runs about 120 minutes.
“Sometimes Black stories can be very traumatic, that’s the ones that we tend to see on the stage, so I love that this work celebrates it from different perspectives.”
For tickets, which range from $15 to $69, and more information, go to https://www.kennedy-center.