Matthew Aucoin - EURYDICE
The ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, who attempts to harness the power of music to rescue his beloved Eurydice from the underworld, has inspired composers since opera’s earliest days. Brilliant American composer Matthew Aucoin now carries that tradition into the 21st century with a captivating new take on the story. With a libretto by multi–award-winning playwright and author Sarah Ruhl, adapted from her acclaimed 2003 play, the opera reimagines the familiar tale from Eurydice’s point of view. Yannick Nézet-Séguin oversees the momentous Met premiere from the podium, leading Aucoin’s evocative music and an immersive new staging by Tony Award-winning director Mary Zimmerman. Soprano Erin Morley headlines the opera in the title role, starring opposite baritone Joshua Hopkins as Orpheus. Countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński is Orpheus’s otherworldly alter ego, bass-baritone Nathan Berg is Eurydice’s father, and tenor Barry Banks is Hades, the menacing ruler of the Underworld.
“Expertly wrought, finely produced, and performed with genuine show-biz verve … A composer with vocal music in his bones. Aucoin’s command of the genre is dazzling … For a good time, knock at the gates of Hell.” - Vulture / New York Magazine
“Soprano Erin Morley was superb … Her voice is lithe, lean and luminous … Eurydice gives us much to look forward to.” - The Washington Post
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Terence Blanchard - FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES
Oscar-nominated and five-time Grammy-winning composer and jazz musician Terence Blanchard made history when his FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES became the first opera by a Black composer to be performed by the Metropolitan Opera. Blanchard’s adaptation of New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow’s memoir features a libretto by filmmaker Kasi Lemmons, which marks her first foray into opera. The work tells a profound story about a young man’s journey to overcome a childhood of trauma and hardship. James Robinson and Camille A. Brown co-direct the opera, and Brown, who is also the production’s choreographer, is the first Black director to create a mainstage Met production. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts a stellar cast starring baritone Will Liverman, sopranos Angel Blue and Latonia Moore, and 13-year-old Walter Russell III, who made his Met debut in this production.
“A watershed moment for American opera … A defiant, tender, and vital work of art … A starting point for something new, a refresh of where opera can take us.” - The Washington Post
“Will Liverman gives a breakthrough performance … Angel Blue brings her luminous soprano voice and unforced charisma.” - The New York Times