On February 3 and 4, Artistic Director Ted Sperling leads the 120–member MasterVoices Chorus in the premiere of the acclaimed opera, “Blind Injustice.” The show takes place at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
“Blind Injustice” features music by Scott Davenport Richards and libretto by David Cote. The opera tells the true story of the Ohio Innocence Project’s work to overturn the convictions of six men, women, and teens who were wrongly imprisoned for violent crimes they didn’t commit. The opera is based on the book of the same name by Mark Godsey and the casework by the Ohio Innocence Project at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. The inspiring 90-minute work in staged presentation showcases an operatic score infused with jazz, gospel, funk, hip-hop, and musical theater. The shows take place on Feb 3 and 4 at 7:30pm.
“Blind Injustice” makes its New York premiere following a critically praised world premiere at Cincinnati Opera in 2019 and a subsequent production at PEAK Performances at Montclair State University (MSU) with Ted Sperling conducting and members of the MasterVoices Chorus joining MSU choristers in February 2024. Immediately following each performance, there is a 30-minute moderated conversation with four exonerees portrayed in the opera: Nancy Smith, Laurese Glover, Clarence Elkins, and Rickey Jackson, as well as artists and experts working in the field of criminal justice reform. Conversations are free to ticket holders.
MasterVoices (formerly The Collegiate Chorale) was founded in 1941 by legendary American choral conductor Robert Shaw. Under the artistic direction of Tony Award winner Ted Sperling since 2013, the group is known for its versatility and a repertoire that ranges from choral masterpieces and operas in concert to operettas and musical theater. Season concerts feature a volunteer chorus of 100+ members from all walks of life alongside a diverse roster of world-class soloists from across the musical spectrum.
One of today’s leading musical artists, Tony Award-winning Maestro Ted Sperling is a classically trained musician whose career has spanned from the concert hall and the opera house to the Broadway stage. Presently Artistic Director of MasterVoices, he has led such symphony orchestras as the New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Boston Pops, San Diego Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, the Iceland Symphony, Czech National Symphony, and BBC Concert Orchestra, as well as New York City Opera and Houston Grand Opera. Put simply, you’ll want to catch him live conducting this opera in February.
For more information on the upcoming “Blind Injustice” opera performed by MasterVoices at Lincoln Center, click here.
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