Voices in Solidarity: Baltimore’s Black and Jewish Operatic History
Opera Baltimore has been awarded a $50,000 Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) grant to launch Voices in Solidarity. This is a bold, place-based heritage tourism initiative exploring the shared histories of Baltimore’s Black and Jewish communities through music, conversation, and public learning.
Rooted in Baltimore’s Jonestown neighborhood and powered by collaboration with the Jewish Museum of Maryland and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, this project activates cultural landmarks with site-specific programming that only Baltimore can deliver.
Upcoming events
-
Roots and Resonance: an Operatic Love Letter to Baltimore
February 14, 2026 from 11 AM–3:30 PM ET
“Roots and Resonance” opens with a moderated panel featuring scholars, archivists, and performances, anchored by music-related artifacts from the Lewis Museum. After a boxed lunch and tour of the museum, the afternoon culminates in “Tapestry: Heart & Soul,” a recital curated and sung by baritone Daniel Rich.
-
Silenced Songs: Rediscovering the Lost Music of Jewish Composers
March 29, 2026
Sara Duchovnay presents “Silenced Songs: Rediscovering the Lost Music of Jewish Composers,” in which she explores the music of Jewish women who were impacted by the Holocaust.
Tapestry: heart & soul
Tapestry: Heart & Soul is a recital curated and performed by Baltimore-born baritone Daniel Rich, tracing artistic lineage, personal history, and civic identity through music and poetry. The program features opera, spirituals, and new works by Baltimore composers, performed with Daniel’s artistic collaborators. Together, they will present a program grounded in place, memory, and the enduring influence of Baltimore on the American musical landscape.
What’s Coming
Stay in the loop with upcoming Voices in Solidarity events, conversations, and more by signing up for our email newsletter.
Concerts
A full-length performance featuring works by Black and Jewish composers which blends opera, jazz, and spirituals to tell stories of migration, resilience, and cultural exchange. Join us on February 14, 2026 for "Roots and Resonance: an Operatic Love Letter to Baltimore”.
Community Conversations
Dialogue-driven events at historic venues including Baltimore Hebrew Congregation and Shake & Bake Family Fun Center, where personal histories meet public memory.
Public Learning
Interactive sessions connecting opera to jazz, Jewish musical heritage, and the evolution of Baltimore’s soundscape.
Place-Based Performances
Events across Jonestown and beyond, transforming how we see—and hear—our city’s history.
Featured Artists
Sara Duchovnay, soprano and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors
Daniel Rich, baritone and Baltimore native raised in Liberty Heights
Nicole Steinberg, Ph.D., Cultural Programs Coordinator and lead strategist for community engagement
Together, they bring experience and artistry to the work of historical reckoning and creative healing.
WHY NOW?
In a time of division, Voices in Solidarity uses the voice to bridge histories, build empathy, and claim Baltimore as a national hub for cultural reconciliation.
The project launches in late 2025 and runs through 2026, culminating in a landmark concert and community celebration.