UrbanArias, Arlington’s contemporary chamber opera company, presents Independence Eve. This engaging new opera by composer Sidney Marquez Boquiren and librettist Daniel Neer explores the troubled journey of race relations in America.

Comprised of three unrelated scenes, each of which take place on July 3 in an unspecified American city, Independence Eve focuses on the stories of three black males (baritone), and three white males (tenor), who struggle with identity and acceptance amidst race issues that span one hundred years of the American experience. Taking place on the benign location of a single park bench in three different urban locations, Independence Eve is a study of black and white America, offering commentary on the intricacies of race relations and the insidious and persistent stain of racism that has remained consistent throughout American history.