M'Zuri
M'Zuri
Born in Paterson, New Jersey, dramatic soprano and actress, Mzuri, has performed throughout the United States and in Paris and Italy, where she studied voice extensively. Her recent concert debut at Lincoln Center garnered high acclaimed and she continues to appear in concert as well as in her one-woman show, The Fannie Lou Hamer Story.
The issue of racial justice is at the heart of Mzuri's production and using her immense talent as a way to enlighten and provoke audiences to deeper understandings of racial issues is not new. Mzuri played the role of Lucy in the groundbreaking film Sankofa (1992.)
The screenplay for Sankofa was written by the independent, Ethiopian filmmaker, Haile Gerima. The film deals with African slave trade and specifically the Maafa, the African “Holocaust.” Sankofa is an Adinkra word, from the Akan people of Africa which means,“returning to your roots, recapturing what you've lost and moving forward.” The film has taken on a life of its own and is often shown at film festivals featuring African-American producers, directors and actors.
Mzuri has performed throughout the United States including concerts at Lincoln Center and in New York and Washington, D.C. with the New York City Symphony.