Mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis has released her new music video “To the Afflicted” (“All’afflitto è dolce il pianto” from Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux) on Tuesday, August 25.
The video, featuring pianist Esme Wong and co-directed by Bryce-Davis and Jon Goff, is a reflection of Raehann’s personal journey in the midst of the pandemic, which, in this time of cancellations and the Black Lives Matter movement, is familiar to so many.
Bryce-Davis last performed the aria on March 8 at LA Opera before the production was cancelled due to COVID-19. She explains, “In the show, my character is singing a song of mourning for her lover who is far away and I wanted to sing this song of mourning for opera and for equity that feel so far away. It is a time of so much loss: lives have been lost, dreams, careers, relationships.”
She continues, “But there are some positives that have come out of this. Our country is in the middle of this beautiful awakening, this moral wrestling with our past.” And depending on our actions, we can spawn a better future.
Raehann is using this video to raise awareness and funds for two organisations that are dedicated to providing essential support to artists.
Black Opera Alliance was founded in summer 2020 and its mission is to fight for equity in opera. They are currently fundraising to provide support for struggling Black artists and provide essential professional tools including high quality headshots, resume building, and access to recording time, addressing one of the many pitfalls on the road to equity. Click here to donate
Arts Unlimited Southwest is a not-for-profit community arts organization that provides high quality musical education to kids of all ages and skill levels and provides scholarships for underprivileged students. Click here to donate
