Discovery Orchestra Presents Concert to Mark Black History Month

The Discovery Orchestra, the Emmy Award-nominated and Telly Award-winning orchestra, has joined forces with the Manhattan Opera Repertory Ensemble, to present a special Black History Month performance this month. 

The program, Discover Angelitos Negros (Little Black Angels), will feature the vocal prowess of soprano Cheryl Warfield with prize-winning pianist and composer Patrico Molina, who will serve as musical director.

A dramatic exploration of folk music, opera, and spirituals showcasing the musical traditions of Black and Latino cultures from North America, South America, and the Caribbean, the event will feature an interactive exploration by TDO founder and artistic director George Marriner Maull.

The free concert, including historical narration in English and Spanish, will be held at Grace Episcopal Church in Newark on Sunday, February 23, at 3 p.m. 

A soprano who has performed lead roles in New York and Europe and appeared on Broadway in Hal Prince’s Tony Award-winning revival of Show Boat, Warfield is the founder of the MORE Opera, a New York City-based nonprofit opera company. Molina, an acclaimed Yamaha Artist and collaborator for the special concert, will conduct.

The MORE Opera chorus will be joined by additional soloists, including Emmanuel Cruz (tenor), Veronica Lewis (mezzo-soprano), Gabriel De Los Santos (Caribbean vocalist), Mallory Molina (soprano), and Rachel Silverstein (soprano). Musicians Ricky Rosa (percussion) and Vic Sanchez (flute) will also be featured.

TDO brings its teaching Discovery Concerts™ — musical performances featuring an interactive exploration segment that helps participants focus on specific details of the work — to stages across New Jersey and, through its award-winning television and streaming specials, to audiences around the world. 

The Orchestra also presents community engagement programs in collaboration with its educational partners for underserved audiences in six New Jersey counties.

Launched by MORE Opera in 2021, Angelitos Negros is a popular concert series which was designed to collectively serve Black and Latino communities severely impacted by the pandemic. 

The program was based on a poignant moment in the 1948 Mexican film of the same name in which a young child asks why there are no paintings by the great masters of Black angels. In December 2023, second iteration of Angelitos Negros was presented, with Molina serving as musical director.