Hackney Empire, English National Opera

Hackney Empire and English National Opera present the European Premiere of Charlie Parker's Yardbird

A jazz-infused chamber ‘be-bopera’ by Daniel Schnyder with libretto by award winning African American poet Bridgette A. Wimberly, and the orchestra from English National Opera. Lawrence Brownlee stars as the legendary saxophonist—a role crafted around the effortless, improvisational style that makes him one of the world’s most sought after tenors.

In the empty twilight between life and death, saxophonist Charlie Parker composes his final masterpiece, revisiting the inspirations, demons and women who fuelled his creative genius. Set in the famed NYC jazz club Birdland, the opera is as uncompromising in its artistic vision as the “Yardbird” himself.