Sugar Hil Salon and City Lyric Opera Present: Praise Song for the Flying Africans

Sugar Hill Salon and City Lyric Opera Presents: Praise Song for the Flying Africans

Location:  Bethel AME 60 West 132nd Street New York, NY 10037

A musical marriage of African-American traditional Spiritual music and the Baroque cantata format, Praise-Song for the Flying Africans is based on the Myth of the Flying Africans as recounted in African-American folklore of the Deep South. Written in nine movements, the cantata is scored for soprano, five-string banjo (or mandolin), flute, bassoon, violin, two violoncellos, contrabass, and piano with the voice and each instrument embodying and portraying myriad birds throughout the piece. A narrator will provide a recitation of text at specific moments during the piece. Composed by Jay Saint Flono with an original text combined with poetry from 18th century poet, Phillis Wheatley, the cantata commemorates the 222nd anniversary of the Igbo Landing rebellion that occurred on St. Simons Island, Georgia. The total performance is projected to be one hour and will involve nine musicians and one dancer-narrator. This concert will also include two other works featuring the black composers Vicente Lusitano and Ignatius Sancho.