"WPA...recorded interviews and photographs, along with existing slave narratives, make up the largest body of writings by an enslaved people in the world."
"The Works Progress Administration (WPA) has made a significant impact in my life, many years after its contributions were first presented," said vocalist Lourin Plant. "During the Great Depression, nearly 100,000 former slaves were still alive. The WPA, through its Federal Writers Project, recorded interviews with more than 2,400 former slaves about their life experiences under the institution of slavery. These recorded interviews and photographs, along with existing slave narratives, make up the largest body of writings by an enslaved people in the world. They record for us primary eyewitness accounts of the realities of slavery as an institution and the enormous humanity of African American people. As such, they are of paramount importance to our American story. They help open our continuing dialogue about slavery, freedom, and democracy. The WPA submissions help illuminate the resilient transcended soul at the center of the incomprehensibly stressful lives African-Americans struggled to carve out for themselves under the yoke of slavery. The WPA contributions are an indispensable part of our Nation’s history.”
Plant is playing the role of The Veteran in Spare A Dime, ironically following his recent appearance as a WWI soldier in Opera Philadelphia's production of Silent Night. Plant appears as both countertenor and baritone throughout the country, performing with organizations including Opera Philadelphia (pictured), New York City Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati May Festival, Dayton Opera, Amherst Early Music Festival, Northern Lights Music Festival, Philadelphia Classical Symphony, Philadelphia Ancient Voices, Voces Novae et Antiquae, Piffaro, Jim Thorpe Bach Festival, and in the touring ensembles of Michael Crawford, Russell Watkins, and Barbra Streisand. Plant’s presentations on African-American spirituals have been featured in state, regional and international conferences, and his articles have appeared in Classical Singer Magazine and the National Association of Teachers of Singing Journal of Singing. His conducting, renaissance harp playing, solo and choral singing are featured on the recent CD “Magdalene and the Other Mary: Songs of Holy Women,” distributed by Church Music Publishing. Plant holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Wittenberg University, Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Choral Conducting from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. He has served on the voice faculties of Sinclair College and Humboldt State University of California. Now in the nineteenth year of his appointment at Rowan University, he has served as coordinator of the vocal/choral division, and conductor of the Rowan University Chamber and Concert Choirs, and Collegium Musicum (early music ensemble). His choirs have appeared throughout the region and three times at Carnegie Hall.
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Plant is playing the role of The Veteran in Spare A Dime, ironically following his recent appearance as a WWI soldier in Opera Philadelphia's production of Silent Night. Plant appears as both countertenor and baritone throughout the country, performing with organizations including Opera Philadelphia (pictured), New York City Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati May Festival, Dayton Opera, Amherst Early Music Festival, Northern Lights Music Festival, Philadelphia Classical Symphony, Philadelphia Ancient Voices, Voces Novae et Antiquae, Piffaro, Jim Thorpe Bach Festival, and in the touring ensembles of Michael Crawford, Russell Watkins, and Barbra Streisand. Plant’s presentations on African-American spirituals have been featured in state, regional and international conferences, and his articles have appeared in Classical Singer Magazine and the National Association of Teachers of Singing Journal of Singing. His conducting, renaissance harp playing, solo and choral singing are featured on the recent CD “Magdalene and the Other Mary: Songs of Holy Women,” distributed by Church Music Publishing. Plant holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Wittenberg University, Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Choral Conducting from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. He has served on the voice faculties of Sinclair College and Humboldt State University of California. Now in the nineteenth year of his appointment at Rowan University, he has served as coordinator of the vocal/choral division, and conductor of the Rowan University Chamber and Concert Choirs, and Collegium Musicum (early music ensemble). His choirs have appeared throughout the region and three times at Carnegie Hall.
Click here to get your tickets to Spare A Dime today!