About the Opera

While the body of tormented bebop saxophonist Charlie “Yardbird” Parker lies unidentified in a New York City morgue, his ghost travels back to the famed NYC jazz club Birdland, where he struggles to complete his final masterpiece. Fusing classical and jazz styles into an intriguing mix, Charlie Parker’s Yardbird is a powerful expedition into the mind, heart, and personal purgatory of the jazz genius.

Program

Charlie Parker’s Yardbird (1 hour and 45 minutes)

Music by Daniel Schnyder
Libretto by Bridgette A. Wimberly
Performed in English with English supertitles

This program does not include an intermission.

Featured Artists

Guest Conductor

Guest Stage Director

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra

Cast

Charlie Parker……………Martin Bakari, tenor*

*Denotes Dayton Opera Debut

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