“Adrienne Danrich takes us "to church" in her programs--in the best possible way.
It is a much needed voice-lifting and spirit-lifting in these challenging times now and to come.”
- Jennifer Davison, soprano
Created and hosted by Emmy Award-winning soprano Adrienne Danrich, Music as the Message (MaM) is an interactive, virtual series. Streamed live on Zoom from Broadway Presbyterian Church, in front of a live audience at this beautiful venue, MaM celebrates the power of music to unify and to inspire healing, joy, laughter, love and most importantly, community. Adrienne, along with guest artists, and commissioned composers, leads a program of uplifting songs and spoken word. Attendees are encouraged to join in and lift their voices, as well. Following this musical catharsis, the audience is welcome to speak with the artists, and reflect or listen in support of their fellow participants. The Music as the Message series is presented by The American Opera Project in association with Opera On Tap.
Free to the public, goodwill offerings accepted. Held via Zoom and presented through AOPTV.
GIVE NOW TO THE CREATION OF “MUsic as the message”
Music as the Message is presented by The American Opera Project and Opera On Tap, in association with Broadway Presbyterian Church.
Music as the Message is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
Music as the Message is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
PAST EPISODES
SEASON 2, EPISODE 1: FALL IN ❤️ WITH LOVE!
November 14th, 2021
Join us for Fall in ❤️ with Love! the Season Two premiere of Music as the Message (MaM), reimagined as a new, hybrid virtual and in-person performance experience. Together, let us usher in this season of renewal, reopening and reflection, celebrating the greatest four letter word ever created — LOVE! The MaM Ensemble and special guest artists will join Adrienne, to lead us through an immersive program of multi-genre, uplifting and familiar songs, operatic arias and spoken word. As we commune through music, attendees are encouraged to sing and speak along, whether in the Zoom room or in the Sanctuary, with strong and joyous voices!
Music as the Message is a free virtual event, available to all. Donors at the $30 level or above may receive a personal invitation to join members of our community in the live studio audience, as space allows.
For this Music as the Message episode, AOP is giving 50% of all donations raised on November 14th to Broadway Community, a non-profit agency located at Broadway Presbyterian Church that provides food, shelter, health-care, and many other services for neighbors in need. Broadway Community sets an abundant table, believing that everyone deserves justice, dignity, health, and wholeness.
Hosted by Adrienne Danrich, and featuring a cast of talented artists:
Guest Soloists:
Marsha Thompson, soprano
Blythe Gaissert, mezzo soprano
Andrew Garland, baritone
Chris Shelton, Broadway Presbyterian pastor
MaM Ensemble:
Victoria Davis, soprano
Patrice P. Eaton, mezzo soprano
Cameo Humes, tenor
Scott Tomlinson, bass
Instrumentalists:
Brian Shankar Adler, percussion
Dwight Howard, arranger
James Moore, guitar
Peter Seidenberg, cello
Violetta Zabbi, piano
Creative team:
Adrienne Danrich, creator, host, & executive producer
Alex B. West, associate producer
Jascha Narveson, audio engineer
Paul Moravec, commissioned composer
Drew Hemenger, composer of MaM original theme song
Creative Content Producers:
Meagan Brus
Anne Hiatt
Emily Manzo
Creative Consultants:
Joelle Lamarre
Victoria A. Davis
Production:
Patrick Mahaney, technical director
EPISODE 4: SING TOGETHER, CHILDREN!
June 13, 2021
Adrienne invites us into her home for the fourth, and final, episode of Music as the Message, entitled SING TOGETHER, CHILDREN!
Through an array of multi-genre songs, poems, and hymns, as well as personal remembrances from special guest, Rose-Marie Bell (89yo), we will celebrate the sorrow, the joy, and the accomplishments of African Americans. Held in honor of Juneteenth, we will learn about the history of the holiday from creator and host Adrienne Danrich, her MaM choir, and a cast of talented guest artists. The Zoom-based live and interactive concert will also feature a newly-commissioned arrangement by Nkeiru Okoye, focusing on the healing power of kindness.
For this Music as the Message episode, AOP is giving 50% of all donations raised on June 13th to Friends of the Children New York and Music Kitchen, two nonprofits empowering and uplifting youth and those in homeless shelters, through mentorship relationships and music therapy.
Hosted by Adrienne Danrich, and featuring a cast of talented artists:
Guest Artists:
Kisma Jordan, soprano
Joelle Lamarre, soprano
Dr. Michael Preacely, baritone
Special Guest Appearance by:
Rose-Marie Bell
MaM Choir:
Kearstin Piper Brown, soprano
Laura Portune, soprano
Patrice P. Eaton, mezzo soprano
Tesia Kwarteng, mezzo soprano
Brandon Snook, tenor
Jorell Williams, baritone
Scott Tomlinson, bass
Creative team:
Adrienne Danrich, creator, host, & executive producer
Kimille Howard, series producer
Jascha Narveson, audio engineer
Abe Selby, video editor
Meg Zervoulis, music director, orchestrator, & piano
Nkeiru Okoye, commissioned composer
Drew Hemenger, composer of MaM original theme song
Creative Content Producers:
Meagan Brus
Anne Hiatt
Emily Manzo
Intuitive Production Management (IPM):
Robert Signom III, director of production
Scott H. Schneider, production manager
Marcie Friedman, stage manager
Rome Brown, video director
Sophia Voglino, tech support production
EPISODE 3: OUR STORIES ~ OUR VOICES
APRIL 25, 2021
Adrienne invites us into her home for the third episode of Music as the Message, entitled OUR STORIES ~ OUR VOICES.
Inspirational songs and poems that encourage us all to breathe life into our entire creative selves. Thinking beyond the titles and labels that others have placed upon us and those that we have placed on ourselves. We are all authors of our destiny, we have it within us to tell our own stories with our own voices. The Zoom-based live concert will also feature the world premiere of a newly-commissioned song by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Paul Moravec, with poetry by Adrienne Danrich.
For this Music as the Message episode, AOP is giving 50% of all donations raised on April 25th to Gift-Passion-Purpose Project, Inc, a liaison and resource providing music scholarships, grants, and mentorships to aspiring musicians from underrepresented communities.
Hosted by Adrienne Danrich, and featuring a stellar cast of artists whose talents defy convention:
Guest Artists:
Chantal Braziel, soprano
James Harkness, baritone
Dr. Tiffany Jackson, soprano
Joelle Lamarre, soprano
James Moore, guitar
Creative team:
Adrienne Danrich, creator, host, & executive producer
Kimille Howard, series producer
Jascha Narveson, audio and video engineer
Meg Zervoulis, music director, orchestrator, & piano
Paul Moravec, commissioned composer
Drew Hemenger, composer of MaM original theme song
Intuitive Production Management (IPM):
Robert Signom III, Director of Production
Scott H. Schneider, Production Manager
Marcie Friedman, Stage Manager
Rome Brown, Video Director
Julia Sprung, Tech Support Production
EPISODE 2: SING ME TO THE END OF LOVE
February 14, 2021
Adrienne invites us into her home for this second episode entitled SING ME TO THE END OF LOVE, an afternoon of poetry, dance, and songs that blend music from Classical, Jazz, R&B, Pop, and EDM. The program will conclude with a virtual BYOB reception where attendees can mingle with artists, share a toast, and sing a final simple, uplifting song with EVERYONE as they exit in a hopeful and joyous heart-space. For this special February 14th episode, AOP is giving 50% of all donations raised from the event to UnLocal, a non-profit that provides legal support and community education to New York's immigrant communities.
Hosted by Adrienne Danrich, and featuring a stellar cast of performers/movers and shakers/artists:
Guest Artists:
Angelica Lara, actor
Alicia Hall Moran, mezzo-soprano
Dina Rose Rivera, dancer / choreographer
Kamala Sankaram, soprano
MaM Choir:
Chabrelle Williams, soprano
Hai-Ting Chinn, mezzo-soprano
Patrice P. Eaton, mezzo-soprano
Brandon Snook, tenor
Eric McKeever, baritone
Scott Tomlinson, bass
Instrumentalists:
Brian Shankar Adler, percussion
Paul Greenwood, arranger / piano
Dwight Howard, arranger / piano
James Moore, guitar
Kelly Hall-Tompkins, violin
Creative team:
Adrienne Danrich, creator, host, & executive producer
Kimille Howard, series producer
Jascha Narveson, audio and video engineer
Chris Comfort, director, videographer, editor
Matt Gray, co-director
Mila Henry, music director & piano
Kamala Sankaram, commissioned composer
Drew Hemenger, composer of MaM original theme song
Intuitive Production Management (IPM):
Robert Signom III, Director of Production
Scott H. Schneider, Production Manager
Marcie Friedman, Stage Manager
Rome Brown, Video Director
Monica Cook, Tech Support Production
“Dancing Queen” - remix of Queen of the Night Aria
“Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen”
from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute
Remix by Kamala Sankaram
Dancer / Choreography – Dina Rose Rivera
Singers – Adrienne Danrich and Kamala Sankaram
Based on a concept by Adrienne Danrich
Directed, Filmed, and Edited by Chris Comfort
Additional Direction by Matt Gray
EPISODE 1: OF thee i dream, creating a bridge to unity
NOvember 8, 2020
The American Opera Project welcomes you to our launch of soprano Adrienne Danrich’s Music as the Message.
Adrienne invites us into her home for this first episode entitled Of Thee I DREAM, a musical offering. This program encourages all guests to listen and sing along as we embrace our collective and individual ability to become the bridges that create a truly unified world, while acknowledging the need for healing.
On the Sunday after the election, Adrienne and a stellar cast will gather to present poetry and songs in styles ranging from Classical, Jazz, R&B, and Hymns.
Hosted by Adrienne Danrich
Artists:
Chabrelle Williams, soprano
Jasmine Muhammad, soprano
Patrice P. Eaton, mezzo soprano
Katie McGrath, alto
La'Shelle Allen, contralto
Nicole Mitchell, contralto
Bernard Holcomb, tenor
Eric McKeever, baritone
Paul An, bass
Scott Tomlinson, bass
Creative team:
Adrienne Danrich, creator & host
Kimille Howard, series producer
Jascha Narveson, audio engineer
Mila Henry, music director & pianist
Drew Hemenger, composer of MaM original theme song
About the cREATOR:
Adrienne Danrich / Creator, Host, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
As an award-winning singer, writer, composer, and educator, Adrienne Danrich is redefining what it means to be a creative performer. The voice of EMMY® award winning soprano Adrienne Danrich has been described as “fresh liquid-silver”, “radiant”, and having a “sensual timbre and dramatic truth” by Opera News. She has performed, covered, and workshopped leading roles with Lyric Opera Chicago, San Francisco Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Tulsa Opera, Opera Pacific, Sarasota Opera, Dayton Opera, Kentucky Opera, Annapolis Opera, Opera Delaware, Baltimore Concert Opera and Fort Worth Opera. She has also performed at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall & Alice Tully Hall. Danrich also appeared in the NBC broadcast of The Sound of Music, Live! In addition to singing operas, concerts and recitals around the country, Danrich performs her one-woman show, This Little Light of Mine: The Stories of Marian Anderson and Leontyne Price, which she wrote under a commission from Cincinnati Opera. This Little Light of Mine was nominated for an EMMY®, and, additionally, Ms. Danrich was personally nominated and subsequently won an EMMY® for on-camera talent as performer and narrator. Recently, Ms. Danrich debuted her new concert From Aretha to Aida, An Autobiographical Musical Journey. Distinctive in her talent and charisma, Adrienne is known for going places other artists have not yet ventured.
