Michael Taylor never planned on illustrating a graphic novel.
Despite that, the 23-year old self-taught artist has been working with the Cincinnati Opera and Lalovavi librettist Tifara Brown to produce Rise of Titan: a Prequel to Lalovavi — Book One, a prologue to the upcoming opera, which premieres July 9.
Rise of Titan is the story of Lalovavi’s antagonist, the tyrannical Titan, played on stage by Grammy award winner Morris Robinson.
“It gives more insight into who he is, and how he came to be in a place of power in Atlas,” Taylor said of the plot (which we won’t spoil here!).
Click here to learn more about the Cincinnati Opera’s Lalovavi
“Michael Taylor is a talented artist who really has not had much exposure in the professional space,” said Toilynn O’Neal Turner, the director of the Robert O’Neal Multicultural Art Center. It was O’Neal Turner who tapped Taylor to work on the project, after having worked with the artist previously at the ROMAC.
It took less than a month for Taylor to finish the art for the comic book, which Taylor said has been deeply rewarding work.
“I love taking on complex characters and being able to display different archetypes of people,” Taylor said. “You have to take on this character with a hardened shell and see them, even though they’re not used to being seen when it comes to emotion.”
Audiences hungry for even more Lalovavi can expect the second graphic novel to come out in late September, according to Taylor. Those seeking more of Taylor’s artwork should keep their eyes trained on the ROMAC’s Artpreneur ‘s Pop-up Shop at 1701 Race St., where there may soon be some pieces to purchase from one of Cincinnati’s newest up-incoming artists.
Lalovavi premiers July 9 in the Springer Auditorium at Music Hall, located at 1241 Main Street in Over-the-Rhine. Click here to purchase tickets to the July 9 show; click here to purchase tickets for the July 11 show.
