Poetic Justice: L.A. Opera to Serenade Incarcerated Youth
The Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles County Probation Department and InsideOUTWriters have a special event up their sleeves for over 100 minors currently incarcerated at the Central Juvenile Hall in downtown L.A.
InsideOUTWriters hosts weekly writing workshops within the L.A. County Juvenile Hall System that are led and facilitated by professional writers, poets, screenwriters, journalists and educators. Participants are given the creative chance "to tell their stories, reflect on the past, and decide how they will 'write' the next chapter of their lives," per a press release.
Members of the L.A. Opera - baritone/composer Eli Villanueva, mezzo-soprano Nandani Sinha, baritone LeRoy Villanueva (the composer’s brother) and pianist Daniel Faltus - have secretly selected poems penned by the youth and have arranged them into separate musical works.
Only during the live performance on the morning of November 11 will poets discover that their work has crossed an artistic threshold from written word to music. Chosen poets will receive signed sheet music of their poetry.
We are loving this collaboration and focus on art to help heal lives.
