SAN DIEGO, Calif. – San Diego Opera’s 2017-2018 season continues on November 10, 2017 at the Joan B. Kroc Theatre with As One, part of the Company’s dētour Series. San Diego Opera’s dētour Series premiered in the 2016-2017 season and is dedicated to exploring lesser known operas and works that fall outside of the Company’s ongoing tradition of presenting grand operas at the San Diego Civic Theatre.
As One is by composer Laura Kaminsky with a libretto by Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed, As One is a chamber opera in which two voices – Hannah after (mezzo-soprano) and Hannah before (baritone) – share the part of a sole transgender protagonist. Fifteen songs comprise the three-part narrative; with empathy and humor, as they trace Hannah’s experiences from her youth in a small town to her college years on the West Coast, and finally to Norway where she is surprised at what she learns about herself.
Each performance of As One will be followed by Act II, a talk-back with the cast and the creators of the opera, including filmmaker and co-librettist Kimberly Reed, who made the renowned documentary, Prodigal Sons.
Making her Company debut in the role of Hannah after is mezzo-soprano Blythe Gaissert, who created the role for the opera’s world premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. She will be joined by baritone Kelly Markgraf, also in a Company debut, as Hannah before. Kyle Lang, a longtime assistant director for San Diego Opera, will make his directing debut. Bruce Stasyna, the Company’s current Chorus Master, will conduct the Hausmann Quartet for these performances. As One opens on Friday, November 10, 2017 at 7 PM with additional performances on Saturday, November 11 at 7 PM and Sunday, November 11 at 1 PM (please note that this differs from the Company’s usual 2 PM start time for matinees). This is a new production of As One designed and owned by San Diego Opera.
As One will have a live televised broadcast Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017 at 7 p.m. on KPBS 2 (15.2, Cox 811, Spectrum 1277). After the live broadcast, viewers can watch As One online at www.kpbs.org. There is no radio broadcast of As One.
