Blanchard: Fire Shut Up in My Bones (Recorded Live at the Met - October 23, 2021)

Based on pioneering New York Times journalist Charles M. Blow’s memoir of the same name, Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones, from 2019, was the first opera by a Black composer ever seen at the Met. It tells the story of a young man, Charles, who, as a child, was subjected to abuse by his cousin. As Charles comes to terms with the emotional trauma of what happened, he ultimately steps back from revenge. Influenced by Italian opera and jazz (with a splash of R&B and gospel), the musical language is as strong as the narrative is powerful. Will Liverman, as Charles, is touching and deeply human, and he’s supported by a strong cast, including sopranos Angel Blue and Latonia Moore, and bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts thrillingly.