BLAKE, A Musical DraMA
by H. Leslie Adams
Painting by Jerry PochatekBLAKE is the story of young love, forced separation, and the search for one another and true love in the Antebellum South.
Suggested by an idea from a 19th century American novel by Martin Delany (1812-85), Blake recounts the story of a slave who resolves to lead his people out of bondage and to a life of dignity. The libretto presents Blake's quest against a background of intrigues involving the slave's authoritative master and the separation of Blake and his wife, Miranda, who is given away as a gift.
Staging Note: The composer and librettist favor casting this work in an inclusive manner in which multiple ethnic groups are represented throughout (visual representation of inclusion). The artistic objective for this is to align with the work's universality.