Joining OPC for our final recording of "I, Too, Sing America" is Leslie Burrs, Composer of the opera VANQUI, which first premiered in Columbus in 1999.
VANQUI is a tale of death and resurrection through the eyes of the heroine, Vanqui, a 19th century slave woman. The original music of Leslie Savoy Burrs and the libretto by John A. Williams brings new sound and text to this performance by framing a uniquely American experience in a compelling, multi-dimensional work of art. This opera portrays the story of two Africans, Vanqui and Prince. Enslaved in America, this married couple is forcibly separated and then both are cruelly murdered. They are resurrected as spirits who ride the wind searching for each other and for the Baobab tree. During their journey, they encounter famous freedom fighters including Harriet Tubman, Henry "Box" Brown, Nat Turner, Frederick Douglass, and John Brown. Reunited in the end, Vanqui and Prince symbolize the triumph of slaves over an inhumane system and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit.
VANQUI won the acclaim of the opera community from the rural mid-west to The Sorbonne in Paris, France. Excerpts of this opera were performed at the invitation of Harvard University for their APRIL IN PARIS CONFERENCE, AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC and EUROPE as well as their Gala Award Presentation in Paris to honor Quincy Jones. The music of VANQUI is grounded in jazz and operatic traditions with contemporary music overtones. Burrs received The Legacy Award from the National Opera Association for composing the opera VANQUI. He was the first composer to receive this award.
You can learn more about Leslie Burrs at the link below...
http://www.leslieburrs.com/vanqui.html
Join us Tuesday, November 28, 2023, to be an audience member for our final filming, dinner, and performance.
Tickets are Donations to Opera Project Columbus and are tax deductible.
TICKETS FOR ONE $100
TICKETS FOR TWO $175
Tickets can be purchased on our website at