''Frederick Douglass'' is an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

in three acts composed by

Ulysses Kay Ulysses Simpson Kay (January 7, 1917 in Tucson, Arizona – May 20, 1995 in Englewood, New Jersey) was an American composer. His music is mostly neoclassical in style. Life and career Kay, the nephew of the classic jazz musician King Oliver, st ...

to a

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

by Donald Dorr. Its story is a semi-fictionalized account of the final years in the life of

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 1817 or 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became ...

after his marriage to his second wife,

Helen Pitts Douglass Helen Pitts Douglass (1838–1903) was an American suffragist, known for being the second wife of Frederick Douglass. She also created the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association, which became the Frederick Douglass National Histor ...

. The opera premiered on April 12, 1991, at

Newark Symphony Hall Newark Symphony Hall is a performing arts center located at 1020 Broad Street in Newark, New Jersey, Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, New Jersey. Built in 1925, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It ...

performed by the

New Jersey State Opera The New Jersey State Opera is an opera company based in Newark, New Jersey. It was established in 1964 as the Opera Theater of Westfield, and shortly after opening Alfredo Silipigni was hired as Artistic Director. The name was changed to the Opera T ...

in a production directed by Louis Johnson and designed by Salvatore Tagliarino.

Background

In 1978 it was announced that both Kay and Dorr received grants from the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

to work on the opera. Dorr and Kay worked on the opera beginning in 1979 and completed it in 1985.

Roles

References

Sources

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Background

Roles

References

Sources

Further reading