FEATURELOOK
Kangwa Mundende By Amy Dee Stephens
Kangwa’s Greenwood Opera
Kangwa’s opera, named Greenwood, is a fictionalized retelling of the Tulsa race riots. “The opening is a negro spiritual called Nobody Knows, based on my own discovery that ‘nobody knows about this story,’” Kangwa said. “Next is a discussion amongst the black community about how to deal with the growing racial agitation, which ultimately leads to the confrontation and aftermath.” Edmond native, Kangwa Mundende, had no idea that “It’s not just a white versus black story--that would a middle school orchestra class would direct the musical be a dishonest conversation because it’s more complex course of his life. He was that “normal” kid without a musical than that. It’s a power structure that includes economy, background who is now composing a landmark opera about media, and societal failures. I’m trying to humanize the the Tulsa Race Massacre. He was also that kid who never interconnectedness of being American and codify what learned about the Tulsa riots in history class. happened; a collective unburdening, so that we can assure “I was playing pickup basketball, and a college teammate that such violence never happens again.” mentioned it,” Kangwa said. “I was like, ‘Dude, I’ve never “Opera wasn’t widely used for political or nationalistic heard of this!’ He said, ‘Look it up, man—it was terrible.’ I did, purposes until the 19th century and more recently in and I was shocked that it happened and shocked that the the 1980s in America,” Kangwa said. “American opera is story had been so hidden. That was May 2020 when things embracing composers and performers of color who can got real, so I decided that as an artist, the give light to historical stories that aren’t story of Greenwood needed to be taken normally told. I’m not the first black opera Kangwa’s video anthem composer, but opera is less known in the seriously by society-at-large, through the grandiose nature of opera.” to honor his late mother, black community, so I’m having to create Kangwa committed to writing his first those bridges.” Grace, was a first-round opera, and he’s been singularly focused on Finessing such a large work of music has learning the business of opera production become more manageable in segments. Grammy nomination. ever since. At each step, from soliciting Kangwa created a video of a choir singing a grants to writing the storyline and meeting chorus from Greenwood, and he’s gathered with musicians, he’s immersed himself in the project that will instrumentalists to record other excerpts. “It’s honestly an likely take two more years to complete. incredible experience to hear my music come to life, and it “I had this stereotypical notion about the lonely starving helps me pinpoint what is and isn’t working.” artist, thinking and toiling over his magnum opus—but In 2019, Kangwa composed an anthem to honor his late it takes a lot of people to bring an opera to life,” Kangwa mother. Kangwa was humbled to learn that the video, Grace, said. “I wasn’t raised with classical music. It was introduced was a first-round Grammy nomination. “Music is such a to me at school. I transferred to Edmond North High community thing. I’ve studied hard to try and capture the School just to be in the orchestra led by Peter Markes. He magic that would lend credence to my opera. Tulsa’s story brought out something in me that I didn’t know I had. It was deserves to be told in a way that makes a cultural impact, and transformative. Now I have incredible guidance from Painted so far, the people who know about it are really, really excited.” Sky Opera at the University of Central Oklahoma.” To learn more, go to kangwamundende.com 18
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FEBRUARY 2022
