Ulysses Simpson Kay

One of the twentieth century's most prominent African-American composers, Ulysses Kay was known in his lifetime mostly for his symphonic and choral writing. Although he once wrote in a letter that "opera is not the medium for our time," Kay did write several, including two evening-length works.

• The Juggler of Our Lady, opera in one act
  Libretto by Alexander King after a French morality play.
  composed 1956; premiere February 23, 1962, Xavier University Opera Workshop, New Orleans, Louisiana
• The Boor
  Libretto by the composer after the play by Anton Chekov, translated by Vladimir Ussachevsky.
  composed 1955; premiere April 2, 1968, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
• The Capitoline Venus, opera in one act
  Libretto by Judith Dvorkin after an episode in the writings of Mark Twain.
  composed 1969; premiere March 12, 1971, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois
• Jubilee, opera in three acts
  Libretto by Donald Dorr after the novel by Margaret Walker.
  November 19, 1976, Opera/South, Jackson, Mississippi
• Frederick Douglass, opera in three acts
  Libretto by Donald Dorr.
  composed 1979-85; premiere April 14, 1991, New Jersey State Opera, Newark Symphony Hall, Newark, NJ

Discography

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