Chautauqua Institution
Merriweather sing the role of Henry “Box” Brown in his Chautauqua Symphony debut.
“Paths to Freedom” is a concert that links aspects of American history and culture to the present day through music. Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell’s Sanctuary Road is based on a book by 19th-century civil rights leader William Still who would become known as the “Father of the Underground Railroad.” Helping many hundreds of slaves escape to freedom, Still’s careful recordkeeping was also essential in reuniting family members who had become separated under slavery. At Sanctuary Road’s world premiere performance in 2018, the New York Classical Review praised the work as “…an oratorio in the full quasi-operatic sense, rich in character, action, and vocal display.”