Librettist Roberta Gumbel sings during a production of “dwb (driving while black).”
An adolescent right-of-passage that every parent usually fears is the basis for an upcoming modern one-act opera that addresses more than the importance of good driving skills. The amply named modern opera "dwb (driving while black)" was born out of a Black mother’s fear of what her son might face in the real world after receiving his driver’s license.
This much-talked-about opera is being presented this February by the Fort Worth Opera (FWO), which will conclude with an audience Q&A after every performance. Created by Susan Kander (composer) and Roberta Gumbel (librettist), “dwb (driving while black)” was created when Gumbel mentioned her son’s driving lessons, revealing a crushing vulnerability — the reality of “the talk” that Black mothers give their sons as they approach manhood.
In 1996, Gumbel created the lead role of Harriet Tubman in Kander’s opera, “Never Lost a Passenger.” And although the two have collaborated frequently as composer and singer on several projects, they’d never worked as co-creators on an original piece from start to finish until dwb was conceived.
FWO
“We wanted to create a piece that provides a resonant experience of what it’s like to be these very real people: a particular Black mother, a particular child, with their laughter and tears like any family. Because that’s how things get better, by truly seeing and understanding each other,” Kander says in a release. “There’s a recurring phrase in the opera, ‘You are not who they see… you are not who they see.’ When Roberta sent me that phrase, I knew it was the heart of the story. We see people who are not ourselves as ‘them,’ but ‘them’ is always a real person, another individual.”
As the project began to find real form past the chamber music cycle, it took on a full operatic narrative sweep and importance, with increasing inspiration from Gumbel’s life.
“If you think about the operas we consider traditional today, many brought pointed social commentary to their debuts,” says Fort Worth Opera general & artistic director Angela Turner Wilson. “Verdi, Puccini, and even Mozart imbued their most beloved works with narratives of class, race, and culture. Those works became classics because art speaks to all audiences, and great work bridges all divides. We hope that the whole community here in Fort Worth will join us for this new classic, to experience with us the transformative power of great art."
This production marks the second time librettist Gumbel will not be performing as the Mother, with a new soprano taking on the emotionally and technically challenging role. Instead, the FWO production of this work is being headed up by New York Times lauded soprano Marsha Thompson.
“This is a personal work for me,” Gumbel says. “And I’m thrilled and intrigued to watch it take on new contours as it draws inspiration from another strong Black woman with her own unique voice and experiences.”
Outside of this opera’s inception and singer, dwb will also include a live score played by two instrumental performers: Cremaine Booker (cello) and David Verin (percussion). Adding to the nuance of Thompson’s voice, these two musicians will serve as a Greek chorus of sorts, while adding poignancy and dramatic punctuation to the performance.
Post-performance, attendees to this modern opera are invited to join key members of the creative team — including composer Kander and Gumbel — in talkback discussions after every performance.
“'dwb (driving while black)' is more than an opera: it is a celebration of the human experience, an exploration of emotions, and a testament to the enduring power of art,” Wilson says. “We want to thank the TCU community for assisting us in putting together these amazing panels, and we hope that everyone in the audience joins us to share their own transformative stories, thoughts and feelings.”
"dwb (driving while black)" performance schedule:
Friday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU 2900 W Lowden St / 2805 S University Dr, Fort Worth TX
Saturday, February 24 at 2:00 p.m.
Kimbell Art Museum 333 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth TX
