It's funny how one kind of coverage can stack up all in the same week. Today, it's music.
Facing the music
We have a review of The Crossing's latest album, an opera in Wilmington about the first Asian American woman Air Force pilot, a surprising 40th anniversary concert from Network for New Music, and a lively feature about a multicultural Mexican music collective that welcomes anyone (even if you have no experience!) to join for jam sessions. Plus I bring you my conversation with Opera Philadelphia president Anthony Roth Costanzo as he marks his first year with the company and wraps up a pioneering "pick your price" season that quickly sold out every show. Check out my story for insights on why they're doing it again next year.
A more important theme
Another thing that jumps out at me about many of this week's stories, including Maya Arthur's review of Endlings at Hedgerow (a regional premiere from the Oscar-nominated writer/director of 2023's Past Lives), is that they demonstrate how vital immigrants, their talents, and their stories are to the Philly-area cultural scene.
Network for New Music mixes work by American composers with peers hailing from Japan, Scotland, Syria, Iran, and Afghanistan. Hazel Ying Lee, the trailblazing pilot honored in Derrick Wang's new opera, was born in Oregon in 1912 to Chinese immigrant parents. Korean Canadian playwright Celina Song tells a story that weaves two generations of women together between Korea and Manhattan. Music collective Son Revoltura brings a centuries-old tradition born of African and Indigenous roots in Veracruz, Mexico to joyful and inclusive Philly gatherings, including at the headquarters of South Philly immigrant advocacy group Juntos.
It is now especially important to support, learn from, and celebrate our immigrant neighbors, many of whom are facing very real fears of cruel, unconstitutional harassment, arrest, and detainment. BSR is proud to stand with Philly's immigrant community, including the immigrants and children of immigrants on our own team. We hope our coverage continues to reflect the essential role immigrants and their families play in our city's economy, cultural life, and neighborhoods.
Join us for BSR Book Week!
I can't wait for our third annual Book Week (June 1-7), and our author panel on June 4 (on Zoom!). It's going to be a great conversation, and you can get your pay-what-you-can ticket here. Honestly, for me, every week is Book Week. I am currently reading Marcus Kliewer's We Used to Live Here, Margaret Eby's You Gotta Eat, Philippa Gregory's Three Sisters, Three Queens, and an advance copy of Tre Johnson's Black Genius. Don't judge. Reading is how I cope with...*gestures at it all*
For Book Week, we'll be sharing book reviews, staff recs, and more, just in time to make your summer reading list.
Thanks for spending another week with us. Kyle will be with you tomorrow to kick off the weekend.
Alaina Johns
BSR editor-in-chief
