[PAR] [TLE] Alvin Ailey [SEP] Alvin Ailey (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) was an African-American choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City.  He is credited with popularizing modern dance and revolutionizing African-American participation in 20th-century concert dance.  His company gained the nickname "Cultural Ambassador to the World" because of its extensive international touring.  Ailey's choreographic masterpiece "Revelations" is believed to be the best known and most often seen modern dance performance.  In 1977, Ailey was awarded the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP.  He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1988.  In 2014, President Barack Obama selected Ailey to be a posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. [PAR] [TLE] Lord Byron (opera) [SEP] Lord Byron is an opera in three acts by Virgil Thomson to an original English libretto by Jack Larson, inspired by the historical character Lord Byron.  This was Thomson's third and final opera.  He wrote it on commission from the Ford Foundation for the Metropolitan Opera (Met), but the Met never produced the opera.  The first performance was at Lincoln Center, New York City on April 20, 1972, by the music department of the Juilliard School with John Houseman as stage director, Gerhard Samuel as the conductor and Alvin Ailey as the choreographer.  A performance of a revised version, by the composer, took place in 1985 with the New York Opera Repertory Theater.
[PAR] [TLE] Alvin Ailey [ SEP ] Alvin Ailey ( January 5 , 1931 – December 1 , 1989 ) was an African - American choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City . He is credited with popularizing modern dance and revolutionizing African - American participation in 20th - century concert dance . His company gained the nickname " Cultural Ambassador to the World " because of its extensive international touring . Ailey 's choreographic masterpiece " Revelations " is believed to be the best known and most often seen modern dance performance . In 1977 , Ailey was awarded the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP . He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1988 . In 2014 , President Barack Obama selected Ailey to be a posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom . [PAR] [TLE] Lord Byron ( opera ) [ SEP ] Lord Byron is an opera in three acts by Virgil Thomson to an original English libretto by Jack Larson , inspired by the historical character Lord Byron . This was Thomson 's third and final opera . He wrote it on commission from the Ford Foundation for the Metropolitan Opera ( Met ) , but the Met never produced the opera . The first performance was at Lincoln Center , New York City on April 20 , 1972 , by the music department of the Juilliard School with John Houseman as stage director , Gerhard Samuel as the conductor and Alvin Ailey as the choreographer . A performance of a revised version , by the composer , took place in 1985 with the New York Opera Repertory Theater .
The first performance of the opera "Lord Byron" was choreophraphed by a man that was awarded the Spingarn Medal in what year?
The first performance of the opera " Lord Byron " was choreophraphed by a man that was awarded the Spingarn Medal in what year ?
1977
1977