▁of ▁W ak onda ’ s ▁Dream , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁universal ▁theme ." ▁ ▁Music ▁ ▁Anthony ▁Davis ▁describes ▁the ▁score ▁for ▁W ak onda ’ s ▁Dream : ▁ ▁Gener ally , ▁what ▁I ’ m ▁doing ▁is ▁a ▁synth esis . ▁I ▁have ▁created ▁something ▁new ▁from ▁many ▁diverse ▁sources . ▁My ▁background ▁draw s ▁on ▁the ▁African ▁American ▁tradition , ▁jazz ▁particularly . ▁I ▁developed ▁my ▁own ▁voice ▁as ▁an ▁opera ▁composer ▁that ▁hopefully ▁is ▁not ▁im itative ▁or ▁derivative . ▁My ▁work ▁has ▁a ▁rh yth mic ▁quality ▁to ▁it , ▁with ▁rh yth mic ▁structure ▁as ▁its ▁foundation . ▁Even ▁in ▁my ▁ch oral ▁writing , ▁the ▁cho ir ▁is ▁like ▁a ▁drum ." He ▁includes ▁known ▁songs , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁bl ues , ▁jazz ▁and ▁g ospel - inf lect ed ▁music , ▁and ▁underlying ▁Native ▁American ▁rh yth ms . ▁ ▁V ision ▁for ▁production ▁ ▁Lev ine ▁describes ▁the ▁stage ▁setting ▁as ▁" very ▁simple . ▁The ▁action ▁takes ▁place ▁on ▁a ▁ra ked ▁surface ▁surrounded ▁by ▁the ▁ch orus ▁and ▁a ▁company ▁of ▁American ▁Indian ▁d anc ers . ▁They ▁are ▁on ▁stage ▁throughout ▁the ▁entire ▁performance , ▁like ▁spirits ." ▁▁ ▁Set ▁designer ▁Peter ▁Harrison ▁says , ▁“ The ▁scen ic ▁design ▁for ▁W ak onda ’ s ▁Dream ▁approaches ▁the ▁piece ▁on ▁several ▁levels ▁to ▁reflect ▁the ▁psych ological ▁and ▁spiritual ▁real ities ▁which ▁co - exist ▁mus ically ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁libre tto . ▁The ▁un mo ored