At the conclusion of the National Public Radio feature I’ve produced about “The Fate of Black Classical Music,” Jenn White – who so graciously hosts the daily newsmagazine “1A” – asks me: “In the Foreword to your new book Dvorak’s Prophecy, George Shirley – the first Black tenor to sing leading roles at the Met -- writes: ‘Because of our current conversation about race, … [Read more...] about DVORAK’S PROPHECY on NPR — Are the Arts Still a “Fit Topic” for Historians?
Dvorak’s Prophecy — A Two-Hour Webcast
My brand-new book Dvorak’s Prophecy and the Vexed Fate of Black Classical Music (already a best book of the year in The Financial Times and Kirkus Reviews) proposes a “new paradigm” for the history of American classical music. Replacing the modernist “standard narrative” popularized by Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein, it begins not ca. 1920 but … [Read more...] about Dvorak’s Prophecy — A Two-Hour Webcast
Dvorak’s Prophecy, the CIA, and More
My two-hour conversation with Kirill Gerstein, who hosts an indispensable weekly “webinar” dealing with musical issues, mainly focused on my new book Dvorak’s Prophecy and the Vexed Fate of Black Classical Music. But – as in my book (yesterday named one of the best of the year in The Financial Times) – many other topics were broached. If you’re interested in sampling … [Read more...] about Dvorak’s Prophecy, the CIA, and More
Dvorak’s Prophecy — Online Wednesday
It’s my pleasure to be Kirill Gerstein’s guest this Wednesday for his “Kronberg Academy” online seminar – that’s at noon ET and you can register here. To my knowledge, this series is unique. It dives deeply – for two hours – into musical topics. It attracts a distinguished international audience. I will be discussing my new book Dvorak’s Prophecy and the Vexed Fate of Black … [Read more...] about Dvorak’s Prophecy — Online Wednesday
“Die Meistersinger” in Covid Times
Like every lifelong Wagnerite, I regard any opportunity to experience Die Meistersinger as special. It was my first opera at the Met, in 1962 – and also my most recent, last night. There have been half a dozen other Met Meistersingers in between. I’ve also encountered Die Meistersinger in San Francisco, Bayreuth, and Munich, and at the City Opera (in English). These … [Read more...] about “Die Meistersinger” in Covid Times