It’s been nearly a year since The Embrace literally changed the landscape of Boston and challenged all of us to think about the purpose of public art. Now that we’ve moved on from the immediate reaction to this towering tribute to the Kings, what is The Embrace a commitment to, and how is it shaping Boston beyond Boston Common? Imari Paris Jeffries, president and CEO of Embrace Boston, joins GBH News Executive Arts Editor and The Culture Show host Jared Bowen to talk about the public art piece.
From there, should opera be burdened with a reputation of being elite, arcane and unapproachable? After all, it's an ancestor of a very common genre of entertainment: the soap opera. How does our relationship to opera in America compare to other countries? And are the latest local innovations and contemporary productions opening up the form? Award-winning dramatic soprano Jane Eaglen weighs in.
Finally, the Peabody Essex Museum is offering free admission on Martin Luther King Day. The PEM associate director of education and civic engagement, Danielle Olsen, joins the show to talk about upcoming free programming at the museum.
It's all on The Culture Show — listen to the full episode above!
