In a new work commissioned by the Minnesota Orchestra in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, composer Carlos Simon and librettist Marc Bamuthi Joseph tell a uniquely American story. As Simon and Joseph write in their artist statement: “brea(d)th is a classical work, inspired by the enduring presence of George Floyd the Ancestor, asking America to consider an equitable future.” Rooted in the Minneapolis community and centered around Joseph’s words, brea(d)th considers the nation’s history, promise and possibilities. Conductor Jonathan Taylor Rush will lead the Orchestra—and the 150 singers who will join them onstage—through this groundbreaking work.