Opera darling Joyce DiDonato pays a most astounding tribute to victims of LGBTQIA violence and persecution. In an exclusive for NPR's "Field Recording" segment, DiDonato performs Purcell's aria, "Dido's Lament," at the famous NYC gay hang out, the Stonewall Inn.
Before the music begins, the performance is prefaced with a short summary of why DiDonato is performing the piece but also to cite a precedent on the violence that ensued just 46 years ago.
Per NPR, on June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall in New York's Greenwich Village. A riot broke out, sparking successive nights of protest and, many say, the emergence of the modern gay rights movement.
While DiDionato might be straight (and from Kansas), the 45-year-old singer has chosen to become an outspoken supporter on all issues surrounding the community. Being one of opera's most sought out voices, thus, she's a positive force for the movement.
"If there's intolerance and injustice being waged against people, we feel that," DiDonato says. "Because in the end, we're all in this together."
Right on, Joyce.
The video also serves to honor another fallen victim of intolerance and unjust persecution. In May 2013, Mark Carson was fatally shot and killed just a few blocks from the Stonewall. Joyce hopes the video will honor Carson's memory and offer some consolation for those who are still affected.
So without further ado and with a nod to the great people at NPR, we present Joye DiDonato performing 'Dido's Lament' at the Stonewall, here, in NYC.
