asking for a little help

Friends,

I’m passing on a letter I just received from Ryan Taylor, general director of the Minnesota Opera. Ryan is a longtime friend and artistic collaborator. I care him and the company he leads, which is full of people I know and treasure.

MNOP is opening a new opera tonight.”My Name is Florence” tells the story of the wonderful Black American pianist and composer Florence Price. As in so many cities around the world at different times, this company is trying to create beauty, connection, and celebration as life is disrupted all around them. They need our support, and even as they ask for it they point to ways we can support the wider Minnesota community.

Please read Ryan’s loving words as he fights for Minnesota citizens and musicians, and do what you can. Thank you.

Hi friends.

Amid the constant whir of helicopters that never ends these days, I’m writing today to ask for a little help. We open My Name is Florence tonight in the Twin Cities. It’s an important piece for so many reasons - and if you didn’t get a message from me about what it’s like to make art happen in the Twin Cities earlier this week, I’ll attach a link to that message here.

You may imagine how difficult it is to convince a wide swath of the population outside of the twin cities to pay attention to anything right now, but it’s especially difficult to do when everything you google about Minneapolis is awful news. I’m writing to ask, if you have a few minutes, and are so inclined… might you find a moment to repost something about the opening of the show on your social media - maybe just a simple congratulations to the company and a link to the trailer or a photo?

I wish you could be here with us, but if you’d like to listen to this imminently approachable, beautiful, score, we will have a live simulcast on Thursday, Feb 5 on MPR classical.

In the meantime, I’m grateful to ask for your help in boosting awareness for this lovely new work in this time of such craziness.

Gratefully yours,
Ryan

Ryan Taylor | President and General Director
Minnesota Opera
MNOpera.org