Five internationally acclaimed opera singers will headline “Viva Verdi!” at Music Hall next June, backed by a new $6 million endowed fund supporting Cincinnati Opera’s leading artists.
he opera features music by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Michael Abels and a libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames, adapted from Ijames’ 2023 play of the same name.
The season will feature the world premiere of an Afrofuturist opera, the return of “Salome” after a 25-year absence and a fresh take on “Carmen,” along with a pair of intimate studio performances and a rarely staged chamber work.
Born from a Mellon Foundation grant, the project supports Cincinnati Opera’s creation of three new operas by Black artists, telling uplifting stories about the Black community.