Blacks
“Porgy and Bess” was written by three white men. But African-American composers have long been crafting ambitious music dramas. Source
It has entertained, and sometimes enraged, generations of audiences. Now the Gershwin classic is opening the Metropolitan Opera’s season. Source
Before Afropunk, Nina Simone, Sly Stone, Mahalia Jackson and more graced a Harlem stage in 1969. Source
With her unapologetic lyrics, Rainey proudly proclaimed her bisexuality and helped to mainstream black female narratives in a musical style that later became a nationwide craze. Source
The Hungarian State Opera’s general director asked singers to sign a declaration that they identified as African-American, although they are all white. Source
The new $475 million arts center at Hudson Yards opens with Soundtrack of America, a five-concert exploration of black music from the slavery era through blues, jazz and pop. Source
An “American Masters” documentary and “Lyrics & Lyricists” show at the 92nd Street Y explore the entertainer’s immense talent and complex struggles. Source
In the early 2000s, it was easier to mock the singer than wrestle with his alleged crimes. The documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” makes that difficult now. Source
Brown’s “Experiment” and Allen’s “Mercury Lane” are two of the year’s stronger, and more stylistically conservative, country albums. Source
After her own performing career, which began when she was a child, she promoted the legacy of the woman who had encouraged her, Marian Anderson. Source
