PREMIERES

TALES FROM THE BRIAR PATCH

TALES FROM THE BRIAR PATCH

Music by Nkeiru Okoye
Libretto by Carman Moore

This rebooted triptych of short operas is family friendly and full of fun, while paying tribute to the African tradition of storytelling for all ages. Sister Sparrow, Sister Robin and Madame Partridge retell the antics of Bre’r Rabbit and his nemesis Bre’r Fox in “Briar Patch,” “The Pot of Sense,” and “Madame Partridge and her Eggs.” The music blends African American musical styles of jazz and gospel with contemporary concert music sounds. Intended for all audiences. 

Each story from the Tales from the Briar Patch are derived from African folk tales. Bre’r Rabbit is actually the trickster, Anansi the Spider, of ancient Ghanian folklore.  While many people associate him and his friends with Joel Chandler Harris’ Uncle Remus stories, the creators updated the language, using all animals to portray the story. Education supplement available.

A concert version of “Briar Patch” can be programmed unstaged on an orchestra concert with five soloists.  

 

CREATORS

PRODUCTIONS

AOP FIRST CHANCE WORKSHOP

PRESS

“[A] raucous success … Given the painful history of the Uncle Remus stories, it is a blessing to encounter such material in the hands of Black artists such as Okoye, Moore and Stockard. The libretto is now in contemporary Black English, a far cry from the 19th-century dialect Harris and then Disney tried to capture. … “Briar Patch” likely has a future, especially if joined by its companion pieces, ”The Pot of Sense” and “Madame Partridge and Her Eggs,”” - The Virginian Pilot

“Briar Patch came like a shooting star in this production. Bre'r Rabbit and the Tar Baby is one of three Tales From the Briar Patch that Ms. Okoye and Mr. Moore have created… Each is filled with mirth, home-spun wisdom and a life lesson. The creators look forward to the day when all three operas are performed together on one bill. We do too!”” - Art Song Update

Information

Duration 90' /ca. 30’ per part

Commission Nkeiru Okoye’s score for Part I and Carman Moore’s libretto for Parts I-III of Tales from the Briar Patch commissioned by The American Opera Project, with support from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Workshop development of [Part 1 title] provided by The American Opera Project, The University of Michigan, the Virginia Arts Festival John Duffy Institute for New Opera with financial support from The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, The Friedrich Ludwig Diehn Fund of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation,  The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and OPERA America.

Premiere  Tales from the Briar Patch, Part I premiered June 3-5, 2022 at the Virginia Arts Festival (Norfolk, VA).

Roles (5) Sister’ Sparrow · soprano 1 ; Sister’ Robin · soprano 2 ; Sister’ Partridge · mezzo ; Bre’r Rabbit · tenor ; Bre’r Fox · baritone.

Instrumentation Chamber orchestra: Flute, Clarinet, Trombone, Percussion and strings.

Official website: https://www.nkeiruokoye.com/tales-from-the-briar-patch

Briar Patch, the first opera is complete. For scores and parts, contact rental@presser.com