Behind the scenes of an opera in the making

Virginia Opera, Richmond Symphony, and ICA team up to create and share operatic retelling of Loving v. Virginia case

The exterior of the Institute of Contemporary Art, looking down West Broad Street.

Keep updated on the opera at the ICA.

Photo by @maurv2

The Virginia Opera and Richmond Symphony are in the midst of creating an operatic retelling of the landmark Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia.

Richmonders can get an early look at the opera-in-progress on Saturday, Aug. 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the ICA. The event will feature a 90-minute presentation with excerpts from the first act’s piano and vocal score.

The workshop is free and open to the public. Reserve your spot.

Several events have already taken place to engage the community in the opera-making process. In November 2022, legal scholars joined a public forum to discuss the historical context of the case. The public has also joined in workshops concerning the opera’s libretto (that’s the text of an opera), written by Jessica Murphy Moo.

The world premiere of the opera will take place in spring 2025 for the Virginia Opera’s 50th anniversary.

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