well, my name is terrance blanchard, i'm a jazz musician, brad trade from new orleans, louisiana. and now apparently, i'm an opera composer. i've already so i was so happy about that. i know karen i room dina entities is al. hello, my name is karen slur. irma soprano and i, i originally originated the role of 1000000000 in the original production of fire shopping, my bones, the st. louis. ah, i think to hello. hello ma'am. wow. like a welcome to the street. please introduce yourself to our audience around the world . i am michael mohammed. i am a director and an educator based in san francisco, california, all right, unfiltered 1st thoughts about fire shot up in my balance. what does it mean to you, michael? karen, tenant, michael, you sound? i think the importance of it is representation representation on its deepest level of what happens when we actually get to see a black stories, black bodies on stage and in see one of the largest platforms possible for opera. and how does that welcome in a new set of people? how does that actually make space at the table for new stories and f

seen men in suits walking down the street and this past wednesday night, we went to see the terrance blanchardyone was vaccinated. everyone had masks on and we all came floating out of the opera house on a new high because we never seen anything as spectacular as seeing that and you know what? that's in new york city. that's what happens here. >> amen to that. broad day is back. a lot of shows coming back and it's an exciting time to reflect on what makes new york great, america great, wherever you might be with the single minute i have left, stevie, what should people know about this book? i'm holding it up. you know, people feel like they know you from one way another, performing or sparanos, what will they learn? >> there are bigger things than music book from music people. the first half of the book is that local kid makes rock 'n' roll but the second half is more interesting and starts a bigger theme, a search for identity, a search for purpose in life, a search for spiritual enlightenment and it's more universal. i think people will hopefully, find it useful and hopefully inspirational.