Work of the Week – Anthony Davis: The Central Park Five

4 May 2025

African American composer Anthony Davis sits front in a black suit and white shirt, holding glasses. In the background: a dim scene from The Central Park Five at Dallas Opera with five young men in motion.

On May 10, 2025, the newly orchestrated version of Anthony Davis’s The Central Park Five will premiere at Detroit Opera. Conducted by Anthony Parnther and directed by Nataki Garrett, this powerful production brings one of the most disturbing legal cases in U.S. history to the opera stage.Originally premiered in 2019 with a smaller orchestration and awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2020, the opera now returns with an expanded orchestral texture that adds even greater dramatic power. Detroit Opera presents this important new staging first.

A True Story of Racism and Injustice

The Central Park Five tells the harrowing true story of five Black and Latino teenagers falsley accused of assaulting a jogger in New York’s Central Park in 1989. The opera portrays their arrest, coerced confessions, unjust trial, and the social climate of racial prejudice that condemned them. Years later, DNA evidence cleared them completely. Davis’s opera captures the emotional and societal impact of this miscarriage of justice with powerful musical language.

Anthony Davis – A Leading Voice in American Opera

Anthony Davis (b. 1951) is a composer, pianist, and one of the most important figures in American opera. His works, including X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X and Amistad, tackle historic and political themes through a unique musical blend of jazz, gospel, R&B, and contemporary classical styles. The Central Park Five earned him the Pulitzer Prize and broad recognition as a major opera composer.

New Collaboration with Schott Music

Schott Music has recently entered into a broad publishing partnership with Anthony Davis. Both the original smaller orchestration and the new full-orchestra version of The Central Park Five are now available through Schott, supporting performances around the world.

Share Your Thoughts!

How did The Central Park Five move you? What emotions did Anthony Davis’s powerful music evoke? Join the conversation with the hashtag #WorkOfTheWeek on our social media channels!