July 10th : world première of Jeremy Howard Beck's 'The Long Walk' in Saratoga (NY)

Today, Jeremy Howard Beck's first opera, The Long Walk, with a libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann, based on Brian Castner's book The Long Walk : A Story of War and the Life that Follows, commissioned by American Lyric Theater, will be performed for the first time at the Spa Little Theater in Saratoga Springs (NY), as part of the Opera Saratoga 2015 Summer Season.

Castner's book is the intertwined story of two journeys: an outward struggle of surviving the urban combat of modern war in order to return home at all costs, and the inward journey to find the new person that emerges after undertaking such a task (reproduced from Brian Castner's website).

The opera is a deeply personal exploration of a soldier’s return from Iraq where he served as an officer in an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit and his battle with what he calls “the Crazy” as he tries to reintegrate into his family life upon returning from the war. (reproduced from Opera Saratoga website).

The cast includes baritone Daniel Belcher (Brian), mezzo-soprano Heather Johnson (Jessie), tenor David Blalock (Ricky), tenor Javier Abreu (Castleman), and bass-baritone Justin Hopkins (Jeff). Steven Osgood conducts and David Schweizer directs.

Today : world première of 'The Property' by Wlad Marhulets in Chicago (IL)

Today, the new chamber opera composed by Wlad Marhulets, The Property, with a libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann adapted from Rutu Modan's graphic novel, will be performed in Chicago at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts.

The libretto tells the story of Regina Segal and her granddaughter Mica, who travel to modern Warsaw to try to regain family property lost during World War II. As their journey unfolds, Regina is forced to confront painful truths about her past, including her history with Roman Gorski. Meanwhile, Mica navigates a relationship with their Polish tour guide, Tomasz, and realizes their reasons for coming might not be all that they seemed. (reproduced from the Lyric Opera of Chicago website)

The cast includes  mezzo-soprano Jill Grove (Regina Segal), soprano Anne Slovin (Mica), baritone James Maddalena (Roman Gorski) and baritone Nathaniel Olson (Tomas). They are joined by an instrumental ensemble of six players, including members of Chicago's Maxwell Street Klezmer Band. Eric Einhorn directs.