Exploring Artistic Research: Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (a2ru) 10th Annual Conference University of Michigan, Ann Harbor, November 2022
We shared our collaborative research project on the life and career of under-recognized actor, singer, and composer Hylan “Dotts” Johnson. A contemporary of Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte. Dotts Johnson made cinematic history as the African American GI in Roberto Rossellini’s 1946 neorealist Italian film Paisan. He also had a long and wide-ranging career in American Theatre, TV, Film, Radio, and Music Recording that has largely fallen out of view of performing arts historians.
Sharing Stories: The Case for Art, “Interlude: The Visit”
Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (a2ru) Virtual Conference, November 2021
A collaboration between historian, Dr. Hilary Green and artist Dr. Luvada A. Harrison that resulted in the creation of a short documentary film recreating Booker T. Washington’s 1910 Address to the citizenry of Tuscaloosa held at the historic First African Baptist Church.
Oral Presentation: “Barnes, Washington & The University of Alabama: Recreating a 1910 Event for Understanding the Afterlives of Slavery in the 21st Century” Davidson College, Davidson, NC, April 2021
Oral Presentation: “The Life of Hylan “Dotts” Johnson”
Guest Lecturer: Italian Cinema: 1945-Present
Department of Romantic Languages
The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL March 2021
SETC 2020 Performers Workshop: Gestures: Let the Text & Accompaniment Be Your GuideWhat do I do with my hands? Is a glance sufficient? Come explore ways to use the text and the accompaniment as your guide to discover a more natural approach to gestures.Southeastern Theatre Conference, Kentucky International Convention Center, Louisville, KY, February 2020
Southeastern Theatre Conference, “Gestures: Let the Text and the Accompaniment be Your Guide,” Southeastern Theatre Conference, Kentucky International Convention Center, Louisville, KY, United States. (February 28, 2020).
Ignite & Inspire to Educate & Engage (I2E2)- Coming together for Equity & Accessibility in the Arts,
“The Oreo Cookie Syndrome: Navigating Acceptance Amongst People of One’s Own Ethnicity and Their Professional Field”
University of North Alabama, Florence, AL. September 20, 2019
National Opera Association 2019 Annual Conference: Pioneering the Future of Opera
Little America Hotel, Salt Lake City, UT, January 5, 2019
“Emerging from the Shadow of Puccini”
Franco Alfano, (1875-1954) was a pianist, composer and educator who today is mostly known for completing the ending of Puccini’s last opera Turandot. How does a talented and admired composer in his own right, emerge from the shadow of one of the most prolific composers of Italian Verismo Opera? Puccini and Alfano were friends. They would consult with each other about their respective compositions. Alfano would compose nine operas during his lifetime. The most successful being his third opera Risurrezione, premiered in Turin (1904) nine months after the premiere of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly in Milan. The opera enjoyed its 1000th performance in Italy in 1951. Risurrezione was championed by Mary Garden and had its US premiere with Garden performing the lead soprano role with the Chicago Opera in 1925 on New Year’s Eve. The most recent performance was at the Wexford Festival in 2017. This lecture session will share additional information about Alfano that will hopefully convince the audience of his important contributions to opera.
Luvada A. Harrison, Soprano 