This month at Severance Music Center, it鈥檚 the sights and sounds of political intrigue, incarceration and jazz. The Cleveland Orchestra鈥檚 annual humanities festival examines the theme of 鈥渃ourage鈥� through music and other forms of expression.
鈥淚've always been a fan of the orchestra,鈥� said Terence Blanchard, curator of this year鈥檚 festival. 鈥淚've played the Tri-C Jazz Festival. I was an artist-in-residence at Cuyahoga Community College. To come back and do something again, I jumped at the opportunity.鈥�
The jazz legend might be best known for scoring Spike Lee films such as 鈥淢alcolm X,鈥� 鈥淪ummer of Sam鈥� and 鈥淏lacKkKlansman.鈥� He now helms the fourth installment of the orchestra鈥檚 celebration of a single theme through a series of cultural events. The is one of the most courageous stories in opera, Beethoven鈥檚 1805 masterpiece 鈥淔idelio.鈥�
鈥淚t's notable because it's Beethoven's only opera,鈥� said John Mills, assistant program director of 精东影业's WCLV. 鈥淗e wrote four attempts at an overture for the opera just to get it just right. Around this time 鈥� it was really in vogue to feature a happy ending: Not by luck, mercy, an act of God, but by an incredible act of courage.鈥�
In 鈥淔idelio,鈥� Leonore rescues her husband, a political prisoner, by disguising herself as a male prison guard. Mills described it as one of the most accessible operas due to its straightforward plot.
In addition to three performances of 鈥淔idelio,鈥� Blanchard performs excerpts from his opera, 鈥淔ire Shut Up in My Bones,鈥� alongside his 鈥淢alcolm X Suite.鈥� Other music planned for the festival includes Dvo艡谩k's "Hero鈥檚 Song" and the world premiere of J眉ri Reinvere's "Concerto for Violin, Harp, and Orchestra."
Blanchard hopes this year鈥檚 selections bring audiences 鈥渋nto an arena that they don't necessarily always vibe with.鈥� He saw that happen when he performed at the Met Opera in New York.
鈥淭here were a lot of people who walked through the doors at the Met for the very first time,鈥� he said. 鈥淥nce they did that, had that experience, started buying tickets to other productions. So, it's all about trying to expand our consciousness and expand our experiences. And hopefully create music and perform music that can make people reflect, sit down and think about what it is that's going on in our country, how can we help and also to help heal.鈥�
Both of the pieces Blanchard will perform embody the theme of courage, said JazzNEO Host Dan Polletta.
鈥淚 think with Terence, I hate to use the overused phrase 鈥楻enaissance man,鈥� but he does so many things and he does them so well,鈥� Polletta said. 鈥淣ot only is he a great musician, he's a wonderful communicator. So, I think he's a perfect fit to be the person who curates this festival.鈥�
The eight-time Grammy-winning trumpeter and composer lives in New Orleans, which he said reminds him of Cleveland in its demographics and its love for the arts. Both cities are also in states that are embroiled in controversy over voting maps.
鈥淭hese guys are coming in and creating legislation that directly impacts New Orleans,鈥� Blanchard said. 鈥淭hey live in other cities and other parts of the state. It's truly amazing.鈥�
He said that鈥檚 one reason why the theme of courage is so relevant.
鈥淲hen the president and his friends are making money on the stock market because everything's fluctuating 鈥� it's becoming really evident that class of folk really don't care about middle- and lower-class people. So that's when you have to have the courage to kind of come together and understand, we're all in this fight together. It's not about Democrat or Republican.鈥�
Blanchard was part of the orchestra鈥檚 2024 festival and also recorded here in 2017 at the Bop Stop. That trip was inspired by his 2015 album 鈥淏reathless,鈥� a rumination on tragedies such as the murder of Tamir Rice. Yet the material led to soul-searching for both audience and performer.
鈥淭his one guy came up to me, and he said, 鈥楳an, I was expecting to hear some of your older stuff,鈥� Blanchard said. 鈥淗e said, 鈥楾he music sounded angry to me. But then you started to tell us what the music was about in terms of gun violence in our country and young African-American men being shot by police. If the guy who created some of this other music that I love so much is this angry, maybe I should rethink my position on gun control.鈥欌��
This year鈥檚 humanities festival officially starts on May 14, but one piece is already on display: Halim Flowers鈥� exhibit, 鈥淚t Takes Courage to Love All Unconditionally.鈥� Blanchard will also speak at a forum at the City Club of Cleveland, the Cleveland Public Library hosts a panel on wrongful convictions and the Cleveland Museum of Art is hosting docent-led tours of courage-centered art.
精东影业鈥檚 John Mills said audiences will find something to enjoy both intellectually and musically.
鈥淚f you're looking for jazz, it's there. If you're looking for classical, it's there,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you're looking for both on the same night, it's there. I think on any of these presentations, if you show up looking for courage, you'll see it.鈥�
