Endangered Building, Endangered Audience

The old building in Pittsburgh has more than just the appeal of a dilapidated historic structure.

It was home to the National Negro Opera Company. The use of the word "negro" alone speaks to the building's age.

     WQED Public Radio in Pittsburgh produced a documentary about the building and the opera company it sheltered.

     There is an effort underway to save the building. HERE is that part of the story. 

     The above photos are part in a series posted by the ArchitecturalAfterlife.com group. See their article HERE. 

 

I found a good number of online articles about black opera performers, but none about young black opera lovers.

Are they that few?

Oh, I did find an Alabama group that was producing an opera titled "Driving While Black":

...dwb (driving while black) is a montage of poetic and haunting moments examining the trials and triumphs Black mothers experience as their children come of age in a society plagued by racism and inequality. In the central narrative, we meet the Mother in her home. The dangerous world outside, however, is out of the Mother’s control, and anxiety builds in her mind and heart as her “beautiful brown boy” approaches manhood and the realities of modern life as a Black person in America.

It was to be produced in Birmingham in January, but Covid has caused a delay. HERE is their website.