Founded in 2020, the Black Opera Alliance has continued to stake its claim on arts activism, with the organization both speaking up for Black professionals in opera and speaking against institutions in opera that maintain the status quo. Among BOA's Leadership Council members is soprano Jayme Alilaw, who joins Garrett to talk about art, activism, and accountability. Scott honors Annie Lennox in the second movement, and offers his thoughts on dealing with hecklers in arts spaces. Both Scott and Garrett revisit the conversation surrounding the controversial Emmett Till opera, and spend the weekly TRILLOQUY responding to a UCLA job posting that offered zero pay.

Playlist:

Bob Dylan - "The Death of Emmett Till"

Buskaid Soweto String Ensemble - "Sunrise"

Edgard Varese - "Ionisation"

Chen Gang and He Zhanhao - "Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto" (perf. Hsinchu City Youth Chinese Orchestra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu5XohUR3Pg&t=335s)

Eurythmics - "Sweet Dreams"

Annie Lennox - "Little Bird"

Gladys Knight & The Pips - "Midnight Train to Georgia"

Florence Price - "Night" (perf. Jayme Alilaw and B.E. Boykin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_Rh9G8V9CQ)

Sergei Prokofiev - "Romeo and Juliet" (perf. USC Symphony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8pyvaVkKT8)

More:

Jayme Alilaw, soprano: https://www.jayme-alilaw.com

The Black Opera Alliance: https://www.blackoperaalliance.org

US House Passes CROWN Act: https://www.npr.org/2022/03/18/1087661765/house-votes-crown-act-discrimination-hair-style

Downbeat (Whoopi Goldberg on natural hair): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJq93OIIDAI&t=404s

Composer Mary D. Watkins & Librettist Clare Coss Respond to Criticism of ‘Emmett Till’: https://operawire.com/composer-mary-d-watkins-librettist-clare-coss-respond-to-criticism-of-emmett-till/

WDAV-FM Makes History: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/entertainment/arts-culture/article259426884.html?fbclid=IwAR2KP-_v892bJt4kK8Y2zG3WU_IRM9flceVi0HSFoqbzQ4W8ThhDBhVSe9Q

Metropolitan Opera to Ban Heckler from Future Performances: https://operawire.com/metropolitan-opera-to-ban-heckler-from-future-performances/?fbclid=IwAR2NTVgqLR6eLpSwgHdhLOQojaPhe87dM_C2I5gz12wbeRS0AIibxoR5zY0

UCLA Pummeled Over Adjunct Job Without Pay: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/03/21/ucla-criticized-advertising-adjunct-job-without-pay