Author: DNCR Education & Outreach Team
On Saturday, December 14, the North Carolina Opera hosted "The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson," a powerful production that shines a spotlight on the incredible legacy of Mary Cardwell Dawson. Dawson, a North Carolina-born (Rockingham County) trailblazer in American opera, went on to found the National Negro Opera Company. The NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) and the North Carolina Arts Council sponsored the production at NC Opera. With additional support from DNCR's North Carolina Music Office and the NC Opera, 60 incredible teachers and students were able to experience this fabulous performance. This fantastic evening provided:
- Inspiration: Dawson's story showcases resilience, creativity, and the transformative power of the arts, encouraging young minds to dream big.
- Representation: Celebrating Dawson's achievements helps amplify the often-overlooked contributions of Black artists in shaping American culture.
- Education: For students and educators, this performance was a rich opportunity to connect history, music, and social change in an unforgettable way. Not to mention, many cast and production team members are proud HBCU graduates, showing yet another example of the quality, holistic education available at HBCUs.
Check out these curriculum materials for teaching about Mary Cardwell Dawson in your classroom, and help shine a light on this under-taught North Carolina trailblazer!
Interested in participating in special musical engagements such as these? Make sure you follow the NC Music Office and look out for future opportunities in our Learning Happens Here monthly e-news!