Feature Story – Angelo

For director Angelo, leading Daylight: A Tribute to Irving Burgie was more about carefully balancing his history while merging it with the arts in a way that would honor one of the Caribbean’s most significant cultural voices.

From the start, the challenge was finding the right balance between the music and storytelling yet, in the end, the music became the key. He said “The music is what tells the story so the focus was allowing the music to tell the tale throughout the production as the narrative and heartbeat. Ultimately, we were able to create that blend of storytelling and sound that feels engaging and highlights the global impact Burgie had.”

Bringing that vision to life, however, was no simple task. For Angelo, the biggest challenge was uniting multiple artistic disciplines into one cohesive production. Each element had its own demands and its own creative team. The process was demanding, but the result is a layered, multidisciplinary production that carries Burgie’s spirit in every detail. Every production has moments that strike differently once the lights hit the stage. For Angelo, the most powerful scenes are not necessarily the celebratory ones. Instead, his heart is drawn to the sections that explore Burgie’s service in the army, where audiences witness his struggles before songwriting success found him.

“It’s easy to celebrate Burgie the cultural icon,” Angelo reflected, “but what moves me is showing Burgie the man.” The hardships he endured, the discipline of army life and the uncertainties of his early years become the foundation for the resilience and creativity that later defined his career. For audiences, those scenes offer a window into the human side of a figure often remembered only for his anthems and hits. They remind us that behind every legend lies a story of struggle, persverence and transformation.

As the production readies for its showcase at CARIFESTA XV, Angelo hopes that audiences leave with more than just admiration for Burgie’s music. He said “the tribute is designed to spark reflection on Burgie’s life, yes, but also on the broader role of Caribbean culture in shaping the world’s artistic landscape.”

What matters most is that audiences walk away with a renewed sense of pride and connection. Burgie’s story is not only about one man’s journey but about the collective resilience and creativity of a people. The music, the storytelling, the struggles and the triumphs together create a reminder that Caribbean voices have always belonged on the global stage.

In Angelo’s words and in his direction, the message is clear: Daylight: A Tribute to Irving Burgie is not simply about honoring a legend. Rather, it is about showing how his story still speaks to us today and how one man’s journey can inspire generations yet to come.