Symphony in the Vines: A Holiday Opera at Bronzeville Winery

Bronzeville Winery is proud to invite you to Symphony in the Vines: A Holiday Opera at Bronzeville Winery, featuring New Zealand opera singer Emily Mwila and Cameo Humes. Join us for an immersive experience where the warmth of season meets the brilliance of Black operatic voices. This enchanting evening will feature a carefully curated 4-course dinner featuring African flavors, with each course perfectly paired with wines that complement both the meal and the musical journey. Throughout the night, the arias, wine, and culinary creations will be intertwined, telling a story of connection, culture, and celebration. As the music swells and the flavors unfold, you will be transported into a world of festive splendor, set against the backdrop of Bronzeville’s rich heritage and the intimate ambiance of Bronzeville Winery. Prepare for a night where every note, bite, and sip come together in perfect harmony

Emily Mwila is a soprano from New Zealand and Zambia, currently based in Chicago, Illinois. She was part of the original revival cast of Anthony Davis’ The Life and Times of Malcolm X with Detroit Opera, Omaha Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera. In 2021, she appeared in the chorus of Porgy and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera. She made her Lyric Opera of Chicago debut singing the role of Evelyn/Fire Shut Up in My Bones (2021/22) and has subsequently sung Lucia Paret/Champion (2023/24) and been the soprano soloist in Lyric Opera’s concert performance of Mozart’s Thamos, King of Egypt (23/24). She made her operatic debut in New Zealand at Eternity Opera (Zerlina/Don Giovanni), and other roles include Susanna/Le Nozze di Figaro, Mae Jones/Street Scene, and Euridice/Orfeo ed Euridice. Mwila received a Master of Music and Professional Studies Diploma in Voice at Mannes School of Music in New York.

Cameo Humes Hailed by critics for possessing a “compelling lyric tenor that pulses with the perennially conflicted feelings of the character” [Opera News] and a “sonorous, dark-hued timbre which vividly projected the complicated nature of the drama” [theWholeNote], CAMEO HUMES is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after tenors in operatic and concert repertoire. He has performed with Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, the Richmond Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, SANAA Opera Project, and the Orchestra Sinfonica dell’International Chamber Ensemble in Italy. His most recent engagements included a debut with Lyric Opera of Chicago in the role of Mano Alfaro in Terrence Blanchard’s Champion as well as debuts with Lucerne Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, and Teatro alla Scala in the roles of Peter, Crab man, Mingo and Robbins in Porgy and Bess. A lover and avid performer of the Negro spiritual, Cameo has toured Spain, France and Ireland with the world renown American Spiritual Ensemble. He is also a full-time member of the chorus at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Bronzeville Winery, 4420 South Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, United States