Overview
This new opera tells the story of Newark’s own Sarah Vaughan! New Jersey’s Trilogy: An Opera Company returns to NJPAC to explore the spectacular life and sublime artistry of the beloved jazz singer.
Sassy journeys through her struggles and triumphs, bringing into focus the men she married, the artists she admired and the greats with whom she worked, including Billy Eckstine, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker and Billie Holiday.
Composer Richard Thompson utilizes two versions of Vaughan—a young, wide-eyed Sarah as well as an older, sultry vocalist—moving musically from jazz to opera and back again, celebrating the legacy of an unforgettable woman who refused to let others define her voice.