Bounce: The Basketball Opera

06/27/2025

Did you catch the .thebasketballopera feature on ? 📸

Come see our amazing cast at Holcomb Rucker Park tomorrow, June 28th at 6:30pm! 🎶🏀

Tickets available via the link in our bio 🔗

06/20/2025

was featured in the !

Thank you James Barron for sitting down to speak to Director and 🏀🎶

Click the link in our bio to view the full story! 🔗

"Now Rucker, wedged between the Harlem River Drive and Frederick Douglass Boulevard at West 155th Street, is about to become the setting for something different — an opera. But the work that will be performed on Saturday and again on June 28 seems to belong there. It’s about basketball, and the performers play as well as sing.

“We actually play basketball 12 times” in the opera, said Grethe Barrett Holby, who had the idea that led to “Bounce: The Basketball Opera” more than 20 years ago and who is the artistic director of the production. “A lot of the actual drama happens in the games. I know enough that I’m not going to stage the games, but I make sure we can see what is going on between the characters.

But there is more to “Bounce.” “It’s taking the game of basketball and using it as a tool to spread a message about gun violence,” Sedra said. “As we all know, we have way too much gun violence in this country. Anything we can do to teach the next generation, it’s our responsibility to do so.”

06/13/2025

06/10/2025

Only 11 days until BOUNCE at Holcombe Rucker Park! 🏀🎶

To reserve your tickets, please visit >> https://www.ticketleap.events/events/ardea-arts

Check out some more great shots from photographer Miona Takana 📸

06/09/2025

🏀 Get ready to experience something extraordinary! 🏀

BOUNCE The Basketball Opera premieres at the legendary Rucker Park for two unforgettable nights. This groundbreaking production combines the passion of basketball with the power of opera, creating a unique theatrical experience that celebrates community, dreams, and the spirit of the game.

Join us Saturday, June 21st & 28th at Holcombe Rucker Park in Harlem, where the court becomes the stage and every shot tells a story. Seating begins at 6:00pm, show starts at 6:30pm.

🏀 Reserve your seats >> https://www.ticketleap.events/events/ardea-arts
⛹️‍♂️ Learn more >> bouncethebasketballopera.org
🏆 Questions >> [email protected]

06/09/2025

is EXTREMELY proud to be partnering with 's National Association of Each One Teach One for our performance of BOUNCE at Holcombe Rucker Park!

Each One Teach One is a youth development program the uses sports as a vehicle to motivate youth to pursue higher education, explore various careers, and be against gun violence.

Each One Teach One and Ardea Arts have worked together since 2018. 2018 workshops; 2019 & 2022 performances for Gun Violence Awareness Week and Harlem Week; Educational events with Each One Teach One youth members; and a performance with the NYPD 32 pct NE Harlem for "National Night Out Against Crime."

We're so thankful for and their continued support.

Reserve your free seating for BOUNCE at Holcombe Rucker Park here >> https://www.ticketleap.events/events/ardea-arts

To learn more about BOUNCE, please visit bouncethebasketballopera.org.

06/08/2025

Meet the Team: Grethe Holby () 🏀

As concept & Creative Director of BOUNCE, Grethe is the powerhouse behind the vision and direction of the show. From La Scala to Rucker Park, Grethe is an opera innovator blending music, movement, and meaning.

06/06/2025

First week of rehearsals: ✅

Energy is high, balls are flying, and BOUNCE are taking shape! We’re having an incredible time in the gym blending performance and play as we gear up for our shows at Holcombe Rucker Park on Friday, June 21st & 28th.

Check out some of these awesome shots taken by photographer Miona Takano.

06/05/2025

Meet the BOUNCE creative team: Charles R. Smith Jr. 🏀

Kicking off our series with award-winning author, poet, photographer — and American Ninja Warrior! 💪📚 From basketball courts to book tours, Charles inspires kids to read and dream big. Charles is BOUNCE's author and lead liberettist.

To see BOUNCE live, please visit bouncethebasketballopera.org!

05/28/2025

Throwback to 2022's Unity in the Community Day! 🎼 🏀 🏆

The Seaport District recognized Gun Violence Awareness Month with a two-day-long event: Unity in the Community. The city headed to The Court at the Seaport for a series of games, musical performances, and heard from families who have been impacted by gun violence in the community. Resources were available onsite to support those impacted and to educate the community on what one could do to work toward a solution for gun violence.

We were so thankful to be able to bring BOUNCE to the Seaport's court, and meet so many powerful speakers, players, and families.

To learn more about BOUNCE, please visit >> https://bouncethebasketballopera.org/

05/27/2025

We're so excited to invite you to the New York City premiere of BOUNCE! This is the FIRST full-scale performance of BOUNCE in New York City.

The performances will take place on June 21st and 28th, on the legendary Greg Marius Court at Holcombe Rucker Park.

BOUNCE melds genres and defies stereotypes, synthesizing the full palette of American music from Rap and Hip-Hop to Jazz, EDM, and Gospel, with the percussive beat of basketballs and operatic high notes. BOUNCE tackles the School-to-prison pipeline, equity in education, and what it takes to come back from the tragedy and trauma of gun violence.

To learn more about this performance, please visit our website. If you'd like to become a sponsor or purchase court-side tickets, please visit the donation page on our website!

05/27/2025

It's time to make music! 🎼🎤

We're so excited to announce that BOUNCE will be participating in 2025's Make Music New York! Make Music New York is New York City’s only music festival for the people and by the people.

On June 21st, music makers of all ages, abilities and backgrounds are empowered to take center stage and share their skills and passions through live performances in public plazas and parks, on sidewalks and in front of shops, and in partnership with cultural institutions and businesses across all five boroughs.

As part of 2025's Make Music Day, we will be performing BOUNCE The Basketball Opera at Holcombe Rucker Park. The performance is free to attend, with court0side seating available upon donation!

To learn more, please visit >> https://bouncethebasketballopera.org/