A Conversation with Dr. Tyshawn Sorey and Nadia Hallgren, Creators of the Digital Short DEATH

Summary: DEATH is a new digital short in three parts, based on a poem of the same name by the great American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906). Composer Dr. Tyshawn Sorey crafts a breathtaking reflective musical setting, and filmmaker Nadia Hallgren creates a visual story that gives a glimpse into the creative process of both composer and poet, and addresses the Black experience in America. In this Behind the Curtain conversation, Dr. Muriel McClenndon, Associate Professor for History at UCLA, speaks with D. Sorey and Ms. Hallgren, discussing how the project originated, and how its poetry, music and image resonate together. DEATH premiered on February 19, 2021, and can be accessed for free on our website at: LAOpera.org/Death