Come to Benaroya Hall in Seattle on May 21st at 4 p.m.to view this double bill focused on addressing issues of social justice and persecution.
“Music of Remembrance is a Seattle-based performing arts organization with a robust history of commissioning “testimonies for tomorrow” – works that explore the consequences of intolerance toward the other. Now in its 25th year, Music of Remembrance (MOR) will tour two of its most successful commissions this spring, in a double bill featuring one-act operas by the acclaimed creative team of composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer. Performances will star soprano Caitlin Lynch, bass-baritone Ryan McKinny, and actor Curt Branom, with appearances at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall on May 21, 2023, San Francisco’s Presidio Theatre on May 24, 2023, and Chicago’s Athenaeum Center, in collaboration with Chicago Opera Theater, on May 27-28, 2023.”
The creative minds behind the performance:
“American composer Jake Heggie has written nine full-length operas, including Dead Man Walking and Great Scott with librettos by Terrence McNally; Moby-Dick, Three Decembers, It’s a Wonderful Life, If I Were You, and Two Remain with librettos by Gene Scheer; and numerous one-acts. Hailed by the Wall Street Journal as “arguably the world’s most popular 21st-century opera and art song composer,” Heggie has also composed nearly 300 art songs, as well as chamber, choral, and orchestral works. He is currently at work with Jawole Zollar and Gene Scheer on Intelligence, a new stage work commissioned by Houston Grand Opera. A new Ivo van Hove production of Dead Man Walking will open the 23/24 season of New York’s Metropolitan Opera.”
“Gene Scheer’s work is noted for its scope and versatility. In addition to the many collaborations with composer Jake Heggie listed above, Scheer worked as librettist with Tobias Picker on An American Tragedy, which premiered at the Metropolitan Opera, and on Therese Raquin, which was produced by Dallas Opera. With the composer Steven Stucky, Scheer wrote the oratorio August 4, 1964, for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Classical Composition. He collaborated with Joby Talbot on the opera Everest, based on the doomed 1996 Everest expedition, and with Jennifer Higdon on an operatic adaptation of Cold Mountain, which premiered at Santa Fe Opera. It subsequently won the International Opera award for Best World Premiere and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Classical Composition. The distinguished documentary filmmaker, Ken Burns, prominently featured Scheer’s song “American Anthem” (as sung by Norah Jones) in his Emmy Award-winning World War II documentary for PBS entitled The War.”
I know I am looking forward to this ambitious performance. To get tickets, visit https://www.seattlesymphony.org/en/benaroyahall/bh-calendar/2022-2023/22mor-heggie-scheer