Orpheus actively partners with Black performing artists and organizations. These collaborations enrich musical artistry, strengthen performing arts communities, and introduce audiences to new performers.
This spring, the pandemic caused the cancellation of two groundbreaking projects for Orpheus. First, we had planned to perform with members of the Sphinx Virtuosi in a joint performance at Carnegie Hall. This virtuosic self-conducted ensemble consists of top Black and Latinx string soloists, many of whom have performed as guest musicians with Orpheus over the years. This collaboration would have brought the two groups together on stage for the first time. We hope to find a future opportunity to collaborate with this trailblazing ensemble.
The second heartbreaking cancellation was “A Harlem Dream,” a joint production with our uptown neighbors The Classical Theatre of Harlem, which pairs Mendelssohn’s ‘Incidental Music from A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ with a condensed version of Shakespeare’s play. This imaginative production directed by Peter Francis James was scheduled for premieres at the SHIFT Festival of American Orchestras, produced by The John F. Kennedy Center and Washington Performing Arts, and Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts. We can't wait to bring this program to audiences once we return to the stage.
Our planned 2020-21 season, as well as future programming, continues to involve a diverse roster of collaborators.