For decades, Kent State University’s College of the Arts has worked collaboratively with local businesses, groups and programs to bring the arts to the community. This year, Kent State’s Glauser School of Music had the unique opportunity to partner with Chagrin Arts in bringing to life a new opera, “Blind Injustice.” Partnerships, such as this one, help strengthen the College of the Arts’ relationship in local communities and provide unmatched opportunities for students and alumni.
“Blind Injustice” is a powerful new American opera based on the true stories of six Ohioans who were wrongfully convicted and later exonerated through the work of the Ohio Innocence Project. With music by Scott Davenport Richards and a libretto by David Cote, the opera combines jazz, rock, hip-hop, blues and gospel to tell these powerful stories. Approximately 40% of the libretto is drawn directly from interviews with the exonerees, bringing an added layer of authenticity to the performance.
The opera was originally commissioned and premiered by Cincinnati Opera in 2019 to five sold-out audiences. Since then, it has had 3 more successful runs at Opera Theatre of the Rockies in Colorado, Peak Performances in New Jersey and Lincoln Center in New York. “Blind Injustice” is a thought-provoking and emotionally significant work that explores the human cost of wrongful conviction and the resilience of those who survive it.
School of Theatre and Dance Emeritus faculty and former school director, Eric van Baars is directing “Blind Injustice,” alongside Conductor Andrew Grams. They are joined by 23 other Kent State faculty and alumni to stage a powerful performance. The relationships faculty and staff build through partnerships like this, help expand the vast professional network and impeccable reputation of the School of Music and the School of Theatre and Dance.
Kent State Faculty in “Blind Injustice”
Eric van Baars: Director for “Blind Injustice,” former School of Theatre and Dance Director and emeritus faculty
Karen Prasser: Producer for “Blind Injustice,” Kent State Collaborative pianist
Amy Glick: Orchestra member/Concertmaster for “Blind Injustice,” Music faculty
Marla Berg: Assistant Director for “Blind Injustice,” Music Faculty
Jay White: Assistant Conductor, Chorus Manager for “Blind Injustice,” Music Faculty
Timothy Culver: Clarence Elkins in “Blind Injustice,” Music faculty
Lara Troyer: Chorus Soprano in “Blind Injustice,” Music Faculty
Bryan Thomas: Double Bass for “Blind Injustice,” Music Faculty
David Mitchell: Tenor and Bass TBN for “Blind Injustice,” Music Faculty
Matt Holm: Percussion for “Blind Injustice,” Music Faculty
Sam Al-Hadid: Chorus Tenor in “Blind Injustice,” Music Faculty, Music Education Graduate student
Da Eun Choi: Pianist/Coach for “Blind Injustice,” Kent State Collaborative pianist
Kent State Alumni in “Blind Injustice”
Audrey Nolte: Chorus Soprano in “Blind Injustice,” M.M. Music Performance Alumna
Christin Parker: Chorus Soprano in “Blind Injustice,” B.M. Music Performance Alumna
Manuel Gomez: Chorus Tenor in “Blind Injustice,” B.M. Music Performance Alumnus
Ezra Keeton: Chorus Tenor in “Blind Injustice,” M.M. Music Performance Alumnus
Lucas Spencer: Chorus Tenor in “Blind Injustice,” B.M. Music Performance Alumnus
Anthony Kalanick: Bass C1 for “Blind Injustice,” Music Performance Graduate Student
Alvaro Molina: Violin 2 for “Blind Injustice,” Music Performance Graduate Student
Daryl Lewis: Ensemble in “Blind Injustice,” M.M. in Music Performance and M.F.A. Acting
Colleen Longshaw Jackson: Derrick’s Mother in “Blind Injustice,” B.F.A. and M.F.A. Acting Alumna
Laura Best: Chorus Alto in “Blind Injustice,” B.M. Music Education Alumna
April Rock: Costume Designer for “Blind Injustice,” M.F.A. Costume Design Alumna
About the School of Music
In the Glauser School of Music, we train the next generation of music educators, scholars, performers and technology experts through 15 immersive undergraduate and graduate programs that ignite passion and stimulate curiosity. From Western Classical and Jazz to the many African and Asian traditions, our nearly 30 ensembles annually welcome over 500 music majors, non-majors and community members to learn, celebrate and perform the diverse music the world has to offer. Every summer, we host the Kent Blossom Music Festival in partnership with The Cleveland Orchestra to become a center of professional music training for over 40 highly skilled young artists from around the world.