Nkeiru Okoye, Ph.D.
Composer
An exciting new operatic work
that tells of how a young girl born in slavery, becomes Harriet Tubman,
the legendary Underground Railroad conductor.
Experience this heartwarming
tale of two sisters vowing that nothing but death will separate them,
despite the slavery threatening to tear them apart. The music is richly
textured, drawing from the musical traditions of opera, gospel, American
spirituals, ragtime and minstrel songs.
Based on recent Tubman
biographies, the story is narrated and told in the context of Tubman’s
tight-knit family of lively characters. Harriet Tubman carries the
universal themes of sisterhood, courage, sacrifice and doing what is
necessary to keep a family together.
This touring co-production with the Oberlin Opera Theater is the Midwest premiere of the opera following the New York City World Premiere production in February 2014. The production features internationally renowned artists including Oberlin alumna Nkeiru Okoye - librettist and composer of the opera, Julius Williams, conductor, and Jonathon Field, stage director.
Singing
actors from the Oberlin Opera Theater perform along side professional
artists including Brian Keith Johnson, baritone of strong regional
renown (and regular Cleveland Opera Theater company member) portraying
the role of John Tubman, Cleveland-based actress Debra Rose in the role
of Rittia Ross, and Oberlin alumnus David Hughey, tenor portraying the
roles of Ben Ross and William Still - Mr. Hughey made his Broadway debut
in the Tony Award winning revival of the Gershwins’ Porgy And Bess, he
later joined the Broadway First National Tour in the role of Jake, and
was recently featured on the soundtrack to the Oscar Award winning
feature film, 12 Years A Slave.
When I crossed that line to freedom
is presented as part of Cleveland Opera Theater's New Opera Works
{NOW}. NOW features productions of new and recently composed opera, and
workshops and readings of other new works in development More about NOW
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