"Buford Highway Dreams": The First Opera About Buford Highway (Part I)

In this episode, Natalia Garzon sits down with Alejandra Martinez and Jorge Sosa, who wrote and composed "Buford Highway Dreams" a 10-min opera inspired by the life of Guillermo Cesario, who lives and works on Buford Highway. We interviewed him on this podcast in 2021. This project was done in collaboration with We Love Buford Highway as part of the 96 Hour Opera Project, organized by the Atlanta Opera in June of 2022. This is the first opera ever created about Buford Highway immigrants.  The two artists talk about the operatic art form, why it is important, how they created "Buford Highway Dreams," and how the themes of the piece complexify the migrant narrative in the area. The first part of this conversation gives a brief overview of the work, the art form, and some of the elements the creators found memorable and meaningful. They also open up conversations about the "American Dream," a concept that deserves more reflection and complexity in our day and age.  Stick around for Part II of this episode, which will be published later this month. If you'd like to learn more about the artists, you can find Jorge Sosa HERE and Alejandra Martinez HERE. And if you want to watch the 4 part documentary series on the 96 Hour Opera Project you can go explore HERE.