Fellow travelers an opera composed by gregory spears libretto by greg pierce directed by kevin newbury based on the novel fellow travelers by thomas mallon produced by cincinnati opera cocommissioned by g. A love affair between two men in 1950s washington, dc. Music by gregory spears libretto by greg pierce based on the 2007 novel by thomas mallon developed and. The live audio recording of our 2016 world premiere opera fellow travelers. Based on the 2007 novel fellow travelers by thomas mallon developed and cocommissioned by g. Spears most recent evening length opera, fellow travelers, premiered this summer at cincinnati opera in a tenperformance run. New works, a joint venture between cincinnati opera and the university of cincinnati collegeconservatory of music, made possible by a grant from the andrew w. O columbia, an eveninglength chamber opera commissioned by houston grand opera hgo co, will premiere in september 2015. Cincinnati fellow travelers cincinnati opera 61116 t he melancholy. Joseph lattanzi, aaron blake, and devon guthrie, who sing on that release, will. Its easy to fall for boston lyric opera s latest production, the frequently exciting new opera fellow travelers, when its at its most impassioned. New works, a collaboration between cincinnati opera and the university of cincinnati collegeconservatory of music which focuses on the creation of new american operas. Above, the cast and creative team take a bow at national sawdust. Its more of a love story than i expected, said one patron at intermission.
In march 2016, cincinnati opera presented excerpts from fellow travelers at national sawdust in brooklyn. Fellow travelers received a workshop through opera fusion. In recent seasons he has been commissioned by the lyric opera of chicago, the cincinnati opera, houston grand opera, seraphic fire, and the jack quartet among others. Thomas mallon s novel and directed by kevin newbury, the opera was performed by a. Mellon foundation and receives major support from the caerus foundation, inc fellow travelers an opera by gregory spears. An interview with thomas mallon, author of fellow travelers. This extensive release is a live recording from the critically acclaimed world premiere production of fellow travelers produced by cincinnati opera with a score by gregory spears and libretto by greg pierce. Its sure to be a spectacular season with the world premiere of castor and patience, the company premiere of rusalka. Cincinnati opera cancels 2020 season due to coronavirus. C a world of bareknuckled ideology, hard drinking and secret dossiers. Fellow travelers was performed at cincinnati opera in 2016. Based on thomas mallons bestselling novel, fellow travelers takes place in 1950s. Amidst a backdrop of 1950s paranoia in washington, d. Author thomas mallon was a guest of honor at the party following the premiere of gregory spearss opera fellow travelers at the cincinnati opera three years ago, and he should have been.
Hes devoutly catholic, fiercely conservative, and gay. Less than a week after the shooting at orlandos pulse nightclub, audiences gathered for the critically lauded cincinnati opera world premiere of fellow travelers, a new opera cocommissioned by. Based on a 2007 novel by thomas mallon, fellow travelers was first performed in 2016 by the cincinnati opera and was picked up quickly by other opera companies. In 2016 it premiered at cincinnati opera, and in march lyric opera of chicago will stage four performances at the athenaeum theatre. The opening page of gregory spears score for fellow travelers, premiering friday june 17 at cincinnati opera. Fellow travelers had its world premiere at cincinnati opera.
Were presenting a yearlong series of concerts, talks, and eventsall leading up to the 2020 summer festival. Deceptive cadence fellow travelers is based on thomas mallons historical novel of the same name. Gregory spears fellow travelers european american music. The book, which i picked up a few years ago and only this january began reading to prepare for the opera, is a. Adapted from thomas mallon s novel and directed by kevin newbury, the opera was performed by a cast of exciting young singers joined by. Music by gregory spears libretto by greg pierce based on the 2007 novel fellow travelers by thomas mallon premiered. Thomas mallons fellow travelers, published in 2007, has gotten a second life recently, as an opera. Based on the 2007 novel fellow travelers by thomas mallon developed and co commissioned by g. Based on the novel of the same name by thomas mallon, fellow travelers tells the story of two men who fall in love in 1950s washington, d.
Fellow travelers is a cincinnati opera production, developed and cocommissioned by g. Gregory spearss opera, given its world premiere by cincinnati opera on june 17, elicits tears not because it demands them but through its understated treatment of an impossibly sad situation. A new opera illuminates the lavender scare, a littleexplored era in gay history. The scene from cincinnati opera s fellow travelers, which was given its world premiere friday at the aronoff center, put a spotlight on the humiliation and fear suffered by gay people in. With music by gregory spears, composer of our acclaimed 2016 world premiere fellow travelers, and a libretto by pulitzer prizewinning poet tracy k. When first approached several years ago about the book s adaptation, i was somewhat. Fellow travelers was developed and cocommissioned by g. The live audio recording of our 2016 world premiere opera fellow travelers, by composer gregory spears and librettist greg pierce and directed by kevin newbury, is now available for purchase as a digital download and a cd set on the fanfare cincinnati label.
Based on the bestselling book by thomas mallon, fellow travelers is both a story of the heart and a taut political thriller, creating an instant contemporary classic. Music by gregory spears libretto by greg pierce based on the 2007 novel by thomas mallon developed and cocommissioned by g. The simple, effective production, fluidly directed by kevin newbury, was first seen at the cincinnati opera, where fellow travelers had its premiere in 2016. With music by gregory spears and a libretto by greg pierce, fellow travelers which originally premiered in 2016 at cincinnati opera adapts thomas mannons 2007 novel of the same name about two. Transcendent fellow travelers premieres at cincinnati opera. Boston lyric opera conductor on the entirely original. A new opera illuminates the lavender scare, a little. The searing, destructive politics of the joseph mccarthy era become more ascendant in act 2 of fellow travelers, the new opera presented by lyric unlimited in its chicago premiere saturday night at the athenaeum theatre. Courtesy of cincinnati opera c incinnati s major classical music organizations are having a. New book chronicles a couple hundred years of cincinnati. Cincinnati opera, 1243 elm street, cincinnati, oh, 45202 5. Fellow travelers, written in collaboration with librettist greg pierce and director kevin newbury, premiered at cincinnati opera in june 2016. The cast of fellow travelers, which premiered at the cincinnati opera.
In fact, it was recognized on the new york times list of best classical music of 2016. Sterling zinsmeyer and cincinnati opera, and copresented by prototype festival with john jay college of criminal justice and the american composers orchestra. Cincinnati opera will present the world premiere of fellow travelers. Cincinnati during a state department christmas party midway through fellow travelers, a new opera based on that thomas mallon novel, an office worker confides a. Gregory spearss opera, given its world premiere by cincinnati opera on june 17, elicits tears not because it demands them, but through its understated treatment of an impossibly sad situation. The opera fellow travelers offers an unusually timely perspective into the. Fellow travelers, gregory spears chamber opera about a gay love affair in washington, d. Cincinnati opera is excited to announce the release of our first album. Fellow travelers is an opera in 16 scenes composed by gregory spears to a libretto by greg pierce, based on thomas mallons 2007 novel fellow travelers. Cincinnati opera is celebrating a big birthday this summer, and youre invited to join in the celebration. Lumpkin lyric unlimited was launched with major catalyst funding from the andrew w.
New works, a joint venture between cincinnati opera and the university of. New york premiere of gregory spearss fellow travelers at. An opera by gregory spears libretto by greg pierce based on the 2007 novel fellow travelers by thomas mallon developed and cocommissioned by g. Cincinnati opera s fellow travelers is a triumph the opera surpasses the novel in making this gay love story a story about all of us. His opera, o columbia, recently received its world premiere at houston grand opera. Back in 2007 he published the poignant and disturbing novel of the same name from which greg pierce developed the. An illustrated timeline, travels through many of the most important events of cincinnati history, arranged in a chronological timeline. On friday, june 17, 2016less than a week after 49 people were killed at a gay nightclub in orlando, flaudiences gathered in the jarsonkaplan theater at the aronoff center for the arts for the cincinnati opera premiere of gregory spears fellow travelers. Fellow travelers casting announcement march 1725 at the. The cincinnati opera is canceling its 2020 season as a result of the new coronavirus pandemic. Aaron blake, joseph lattanzi, cincinnati opera, gregory spears. The work, with libretto by greg pierce based on thomas mallons novel of the. That crusade, dubbed the lavender scare, is at the center of fellow travelers, a new stage production that received its world premiere last night at cincinnati opera.
Aaron blake, joseph lattanzi, cincinnati opera, gregory spears, greg pierce lyricist. Sterling zinsmeyer, the opera was developed by opera fusion. In an event with the arizona opera and asus center for jewish studies, school of music, and virginia g. Smith, this world premiere opera centers on two members of an african american family who find themselves at odds over the fate of a historic. The cso, cincinnati opera and may festival all have.
Sterling zinsmeyer and cincinnati opera and originally produced by cincinnati opera in a production created by kevin newbury. In 2016, the company presented the newly commissioned opera fellow travelers by composer gregory spears and librettist greg pierce. Highlights from the 2016 production of fellow travelers at cincinnati opera. Fellow travelers des moines metro opera covid19 postponement conte almaviva mozart. Cincinnati during a state department christmas party midway through fellow travelers, a new opera based on that thomas mallon novel.
And yet a work based on one of my books, fellow travelers the story of timothy laughlin and hawkins fuller, two government employees caught up in the homosexual purges of the early cold waris about to have its premiere this month at cincinnati opera. Gay love in the time of mccarthy the new york times. Boston lyric opera conductor on the entirely original music of fellow travelers the opera tells the story of a secret love affair between male government workers in 1950s america. A recording of cincinnati opera s 2016 production of fellow travelers will be released. Cincinnati opera, houston grand opera, seraphic fire, and the jack quartet, among others. The show is based on a historical novel of the same name, written by thomas mallon. Madison opera presents gregory spearss fellow travelers. So i made a spontaneous trip to the opera yesterday performed in the cowles center goodale theater to see fellow travelers, commissioned by the cincinnati opera in 2016. Spears next opera, fellow travelers, written in collaboration with librettist greg pierce and director kevin newbury, was developed in a 20 opera fusion workshop and is scheduled to premiere at cincinnati opera in june. The seasons performances of this opera have concluded. Opera conceived by santa fe producer recognized by new. Piper center for creative writing, the composer, librettist, and director of fellow travelers, along with the author of the book in which its based, will sit down to discuss the process of generating an impactful story, translating it to an opera score, and bringing it to life on stage. Based on the 2007 novel by thomas mallon, it tells the story of timothy skippy.
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