Fire Shut Up In My Bones-with Terence Blanchard

The Hartford Symphony Orchestra presents a special evening dedicated to the music of Terence Blanchard, a visionary composer whose work beautifully blends jazz, opera, and symphonic music. Blanchard, a six-time Grammy winner, is celebrated for his stunning film scores (Malcolm X, Harriet, Blackkklansman) and his groundbreaking opera Fire Shut Up in My Bones, which made history as the first opera by a Black composer performed at the Met. This concert will feature a powerful suite from Fire Shut Up in My Bones, alongside selections from his film scores, all brought to life by the HSO and a lineup of extraordinary guest artists—including Blanchard himself on trumpet with his band, The E-Collective.

Fire Shut Up In My Bones – In September 2021, after The Metropolitan Opera had been shuttered for over a year, the world-renowned institution opened its season with the first work in its 138 years written by an African American composer— Terence Blanchard’s masterpiece Fire Shut Up In My Bones.

The production, which was a remount of the premiere at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in 2019, was performed eight (8) times for almost 30,000 people, not to mention the hundreds of thousands that watched The MET: LIVE in HD in theaters all over the world. To bring this full circle, in December 2022, Peter Gelb announced that his world-renowned company would be staging Fire Shut Up In My Bones again in the 2023-2024 season due to its unparalleled success.

This work has surpassed the realm of masterpiece and entered that of a new cultural paradigm. The overarching theme of this new moment is that opera and classical music are for EVERYONE.  In an effort to continue the positive radiance of this new movement, Blanchard and The ECollective have teamed up with visual artist Andrew F. Scott to distill a concert production for orchestra that features excerpts from the opera performed by the composer’s own incredible ensemble and two (2) guest singers, Will Liverman, baritone; and Janinah Burnett, soprano. The music and Scott’s video projections give the audience a look inside the mind of Blanchard, and the gravitational pull of the moment that he has created.

Suite from Malcolm X – Blanchard’s score for Malcolm X (1992) is a stirring blend of jazz, orchestral grandeur, and emotional depth, capturing the resilience and transformation of the civil rights leader. The music weaves powerful themes of struggle, empowerment, and legacy, reinforcing the film’s profound storytelling.

Suite from Harriet – The score for Harriet (2019) blends haunting strings, evocative spirituals, and soaring brass to reflect the courage and determination of Harriet Tubman. Blanchard’s music underscores her journey to freedom with intensity and grace, making it a powerful complement to the film’s narrative.

Suite from BlacKkKlansman – Blanchard’s score for BlacKkKlansman (2018) is bold and electric, fusing jazz-infused orchestration with dramatic intensity. The music amplifies the film’s themes of resistance, tension, and triumph, creating an unforgettable sonic backdrop for this gripping true story.

About Fire Shut Up in My Bones

Fire Shut Up in My Bones is Charles M. Blow’s powerful memoir of a young Black man’s journey from a turbulent Louisiana childhood to becoming a celebrated journalist. Exploring race, masculinity, trauma, and self-discovery, it inspired Terence Blanchard’s historic opera, the widely celebrated first by a Black composer performed at the Met. A New York Times Notable Book and 2015 Lambda Literary Award winner, Blow’s lyrical and honest storytelling offers a powerful narrative of resilience and finding one’s voice.

About Terence Blanchard

Terence Blanchard is a celebrated jazz trumpeter and composer known for his innovative albums and acclaimed film scores, including collaborations with Spike Lee. He expanded his artistry to opera, composing Champion and Fire Shut Up in My Bones.

This production premiered at Dallas Symphony in February 2023.