My Sister the Opera Singer
My sister, Jasmine Muhammad, is appearing in the Metropolitan Opera's production of “Porgy and Bess”. The production opened on Monday, September 23, 2019 to rave reviews like this one from The Washington Post and this one from The New York Times.
But it was the vividness of the characterizations and the singing, through to the special chorus hired for the occasion (because the Met’s regular chorus is not all-black by a long shot), that made the evening. “Porgy and Bess” calls for a huge cast and an eye to detail, and a group of gifted singing artists brought the characters to life with dignity rather than shtick or condescension.
-Anne Midgette, The Washington Post
Bonus: I made a playlist of music from “Porgy and Bess” you might not even know you knew. Click here.
Loving words from a big sister:
To say I’m proud would be an understatement. Jasmine’s been singing for nearly as long as she could speak. The machine that is her voice is equal parts well-oiled and ever-evolving. Her talent grows more and more every year and this opportunity she’s been given to appear on one of the world’s most revered stages with some of the world’s most renowned black opera stars is one that will certainly be an exclamation mark on her continued success.
Keep shinin’, Juice!
Here’s how you can see “Porgy and Bess”:
The Met is making the production available via a live broadcast in movie theaters nationwide this February, to include a few encore presentations.
I asked Jasmine to help me convince those who might not be patrons of the arts with a few reasons why they should attend - despite the fact that she's my sister and you just should! So here's a very candid invitation recorded the day of their final dress rehearsal.
Editor’s Notes:
Jasmine wanted to make sure you knew she sounded particularly nasally because she was under the weather but is in stellar health now.
It’s really very candid: you get a good glimpse of the woman I still call my kid sister.
This invitation is for everyone watching, not just my Denver friends.
She meant to say “your friend’s sister” as opposed to “your sister’s friend” but you get the point - you’re all invited!
A personal invitation to see Porgy and Bess at a theater near you
BONUSES
Photos from Opening Night
Music for Music Nerds
I made a playlist of both covers and tracks featuring samples from the music of “Porgy and Bess” - have fun!
