THE TREE, An Urbanist Opera, From The Mesopotamian Opera Company Comes To The Highland Park Ebell Club

The Mesopotamian Opera Company, Inc., presents its new production, THE TREE*, an urbanist opera, with words and music by Peter Wing Healey, conducted from the piano by Dr. James Lent, at the Highland Park Ebell Club in Los Angeles, May 25, 26, 27 and 28, 2022.

THE TREE is an exciting, eclectic, colorful, captivating and melodic operatic re-telling of an ancient Japanese myth combined with the story of today's struggle to build great cities, provide adequate housing and save the environment.

The spirit of a centuries-old oak tree on a ridge outside a small town falls in love with a young man from the town. She comes out of her tree and marries him when his first marriage falls apart. They move to the great city where he will pursue his dream of becoming an architect. His ex-wife, taking custody of their son, marries again, this time to a local developer. When, years later, the developer decides to build a mega-mall outside the now growing town it becomes clear that he plans to cut down the old tree. The son joins with a band of tree-sitters to protest the construction. The town is polarized. The architect and the tree spirit watch helplessly as the situation deteriorates. When the tree is finally felled she dies, but in the process he receives the gift of a vision that will enable him to transform the world.

THE TREE is inspired by the works of American-Canadian journalist and activist Jane Jacobs, author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Jacobs influenced urban studies, sociology and economics. THE TREE ties together themes being addressed by broad world movements, such as New Urbanism and Extinction Rebellion, making it a timely work of operatic theater.

Peter Wing Healey: founder of The Mesopotamian Opera Company, Inc., has presented his original operas in New York City and in Los Angeles, the latter where he now lives and works. Mr. Healey's lauded productions have received support from American Opera Projects, The Gilman Foundation, The Noah Wyle Foundation, The Center for the Arts Eagle Rock, The Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and The James Irvine Foundation. Mr. Healey's 40-year+ career includes a long and illustrious association with The Mark Morris Dance Group both as a performer, rehearsal director and he appeared in the PBS Great Performances production of Mr. Morris' innovative version of The Nutcracker, The Hard Nut. In addition, Mr. Healey worked on The White Oak Project with Mikhail Baryshnikov and has been balletmaster on the John Adams/Peter Sellars opera Nixon in China from its inception at the Houston Grand Opera, through productions at The Los Angeles Opera, The Frankfurt Opera, The Dutch National Opera, the English National Opera, and The Metropolitan Opera.

Purchase tickets at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5389509. Learn more at http://www.mesopotamianopera.org/.