Coming off his acclaimed performance as Caláf in Los Angeles Opera’s “Turandot,” tenor Russell Thomas undertakes his most personal role to date in the world premiere of “Fire and Blue Sky,” a one-night-only production Thursday. “It’s basically a discussion and relationship between a mother and her son and her own trauma and how it affected me,” Thomas said of the autobiographical nature of the new piece, a heart-breaking reflection of his own beginnings following the rape of his mother. “So, it’s more of how these experiences affect a family and what happens from it.
” The two-person song cycle co-stars mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel. The libretto is by poet Imani Tolliver, and the music is by Emmy Award-winning composer Joel Thompson, under the baton of conductor Lina González-Granados. “Fire and Blue Sky” comes near the end of Thomas’ L.
A. Opera residency , begun in 2021. Since his debut with the company in 2015, he has sung Pollione in “Norma,” Cavaradossi in “Tosca,” the title roles in “The Clemency of Titus,” “Oedipus Rex” and “Otello,” as well as Radames in “Aida.
” He has hosted and curated the company’s After Hours recital series and been at the forefront of programs serving singers from historically Black colleges and universities as well as from L.A. public high schools.
Thomas grew up in Miami singing in church, but he never considered making a living at it until a high school teacher suggested that he try. Wh.
