Considering Matthew Shepard

In October of 1998, Matthew Shepard was beaten, tortured, and left to die. Twenty years later his legacy is remembered in a unique production that uses music, poetry and interviews and to explore a pivotal time in our history. When a hate crime is committed, what does it mean to be a victim, a parent, a community member, a perpetrator? How do we learn to be compassionate and find hope in hopeless situations? As a response to this hate crime, Matthew's story is placed into the context of a passion story presented as a three-part oratorio, bringing new depth to a harrowing story of loss and highlighting the role of art and how we react to tragedy. At the heart of this production is the renowned composer Craig Hella Johnson and the Grammy Award-winning choral group Conspirare. We follow the creative process as their art is used to explore how music can be a healing force and lift up voices that are rarely heard.

Episode Duration: 56 minutes and 47 seconds




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