Symphonic Explorations – June 11, 2023 LiveEvents June 4, 2023 810 Orchestre Métropolitain presents Symphonic Explorations At the height of the 20th century’s Great Depression, African-American composer Florence Price transcribed the daily struggles men and women faced through the evocative power of the orchestra. A veritable sound smith, Montreal-based Keiko Devaux works with acoustic and electroacoustic sound to create original compositions. Angel Blue, one of the most in-demand sopranos in the world, lends her stunning voice to Barber’s work. Artists Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor Angel Blue, soprano Angel Blue has emerged in recent seasons as one of the most influential sopranos of today. On September 23, 2019, she opened the Metropolitan Opera’s 2019-20 season as Bess in a new production of George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess for which she earned a Grammy Award in the Best Opera Recording category. She reprised this role at the Met in Autumn 2021, which immediately followed her triumphant role debut as Destiny/Loneliness/Greta in the Met’s historic 21/22 season opener of Fire Shut Up In My Bones, the first production at the Metropolitan Opera by a Black composer. Additionally, she was the 2020 recipient of the Met’s prestigious Beverly Sills Award – the first African American artist to receive this honor – and she was the 2022 Richard Tucker Foundation Awardee. She has been praised for performances in nearly every major opera house in the world, including Teatro alla Scala, Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera, Semperoper Dresden, San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera, Theater an der Wien, Oper Frankfurt, and San Diego Opera. The 2023-2024 season introduces audiences to Angel Blue as Leonora in Verdi’s Il trovatore at the San Francisco Opera, followed by a highly anticipated return to the Vienna State Opera. She continues her season with performances as Micaëla in Carmen and a role debut as Magda in La Rondine at the Metropolitan Opera. Program Keiko DEVAUX, Premiere BARBER Knoxville: Summer of 1915; Antony and Cleopatra, “Death of Cleopatra” Florence PRICE, Symphony No. 3 Pre-concert Talk at 2:00pm One hour before the concert, you’re invited to discover the works on the program with musicologist Marilou Garon and soprano Angel Blue. Maison symphonique Sunday, June 11, 2023 at 3:00pm To purchase your tickets visit: www.placedesarts.com