Opera New Work Reading: Hajar at Clarice Smith, Feb 15

Opera New Work Reading

Friday, February 15, 2019 . 7:30 PM

Venue: Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. Gildenhorn Recital Hall.

The New Work Reading is the premiere performance of the winning piece of the Third Annual UMD Opera Composition Contest. The UMD School of Music’s Maryland Opera Studio and The Clarice’s Artist Partner Program established the UMD Opera Composition Contest in 2016 as part of their ongoing dedication to cultivating and performing new work that addresses socially relevant themes.

Elisabeth Mehl Greene’s new opera Hajar synthesizes the Jewish and Islamic stories of Hagar/Hajar into a modern tale of a Syrian refugee mother and her son trying to reach safety in America. Hajar confronts the immigration crisis in the United States and worldwide, challenging the acceptance of policies that resist compassion.

Maryland Opera Studio students premiere an opera by the winner of the annual Opera Composition Contest. In its third year, the contest is a joint initiative of the Maryland Opera Studio and Artist Partner Program to support the cultivation and performance of new work.

This event is part of the Year of Immigration, which aims to transform dialogue into impact on urgent issues related to immigration, global migration and refugees, and to foster open conversation and greater connection with the University of Maryland’s large and diverse international community. For more information visit yearofimmigration.umd.edu.

Free, no tickets required.