The Central Park Five
Composer: Anthony Davis
Librettist: Richard Wesley
Company: Portland Opera
| Performance Dates | |
|---|---|
| Friday, March 18, 2022 | |
| Sunday, March 20, 2022 | Matinee |
| Thursday, March 24, 2022 | |
| Saturday, March 26, 2022 | |
Synopsis
The opera is based on the 1989 incident in which a woman was raped and beaten and eight other people injured in New York's Central Park. Five African-American and Hispanic teenagers were convicted of assault and other charges; they served years in prison but were ultimately exonerated. The opera's large cast includes the five teenagers; five of their parents; Matias Reyes, the serial rapist ultimately proven to be the actual perpetrator; the prosecutor; a generic detective referred to as "The Masque"; and even Donald Trump, then a New York real estate developer, who published multiple full page newspaper ads demanding "Bring back the death penalty!"