Pittsburgh Opera to Produce Maine Composer Daniel Sonenberg's THE SUMMER KING in Spring 2017

Portland Ovations is proud to announce that Pittsburgh Opera will fully stage and costume the world premiere of Maine composer Daniel Sonenberg's Opera The Summer King during its 2016 -17 season. A Portland Ovations' commission, The Summer Kingwill be Pittsburgh Opera's first world premiere in its 78 year history and will conclude its upcoming season with multiple performances from April 29th through May 7th at the Benedum Center.

The Summer King was commissioned by Portland Ovations, and given its first public presentation as a concert performance on May 8th, 2014 at Merrill Auditorium as part of the Portland Ovations 2013-14 season in collaboration with the University of Southern Maine. Pittsburgh Opera is turning it into a full stage production, with lighting, costumes, sets, a full orchestra in the pit, and much more for its world premiere in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Opera is also working with the composer to continue to develop material for the world premier. The Summer King has received major support from American Opera Projects, the National Endowment for the Arts, Bob Crewe Foundation, Maine Arts Commission and University of Southern Maine and deeply appreciated continuing support for the Pittsburgh Opera world premiere from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Aimée M. Petrin, Executive Director of Portland Ovations exclaims, "when we set off to support Dan Sonenberg and The Summer King, our loftiest goal was to see it picked up by a national opera company and fully produced. Pittsburgh Opera's April 2017 world premiere is a dream come true. We could not be more thrilled for Dan and the added visibility this brings to Maine's rich artistic scene."

Performances of The Summer King at the Benedum Center:

Sat, Apr 29, 2017 - 8:00PM
Tue, May 2, 2017 - 7:00PM
Fri, May 5, 2017 - 7:30 PM
Sun, May 7, 2017 - 2:00PM

ALSO: Thursday, May 4th, 2017: Student Matinee performance at 10:00AM

Pittsburgh Opera's 2016-2017 season concludes with the first world premiere in our illustrious 78 year history. Opera lovers, baseball fans, and Pittsburghers of all stripes will be dazzled by Daniel Sonenberg's The Summer King, the Josh Gibson story.

As baseball fans and proud Pittsburgh history enthusiasts know, Josh went from the sandlots of Pittsburgh's North Side to the pinnacle of greatness on the baseball diamond in the Negro Leagues, before ultimately being enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

The opera begins with a father and son debating about great baseball players. When the father mentions Josh Gibson, the son thinks his father is living in the past. But as his father retorts, "Who's got those numbers today?"

The Summer King follows Josh at key points in his life, including his playing days in the Negro Leagues as well as in Mexico, where he was awarded the MVP award while playing for the Veracruz Azules.
The robust supporting characters include his wife Helen,who dies in childbirth, his girlfriend Grace, and teammates such as Sam Bankhead and Cool Papa Bell.

Also featured in prominent roles are the gregarious Gus Greenlee, who owned not just the Pittsburgh Crawfords but also the legendary Crawford Grill in Pittsburgh's Hill District, and Wendell Smith, an intrepid reporter for the celebrated African American newspaper The Pittsburgh Courier.

Like all African Americans at the time, Josh was prohibited from playing in the Major Leagues by what was disingenuously referred to as a "gentlemen's agreement" among the Major League clubs. Sadly, Josh died at the age of 35, felled by a stroke shortly before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Pittsburgh Opera is proud and privileged to premiere The Summer King, Josh Gibson's story. Josh Gibson™used with permission of Josh Gibson Enterprise, Inc., c/o Luminary Group LLC, www.JoshGibson.org

Pittsburgh Opera's annual Student Matinee will introduce 2,000+ school children grades 3-12 to this lively, colorful opera on Thursday, May 4th, 2017 at the Benedum Center. The Resident Artists take lead roles in the Student Matinee, and are accompanied by the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, in yet another opportunity to hone performance skills.

Each year since 1931, Portland Ovations brings a dynamic season of exceptional performing artists from around the world to Maine including classical music, jazz, opera, dance, theater, and Broadway national tours. In addition to live performances, Ovations brings the exhilaration of the performing arts out into our community with season-long educational and outreach activities known as Ovations Offstage. A Maine-based non-profit, Portland Ovations contributes to the cultural, social and economic well-being of our community by presenting an array of high quality performing artists from around the world and creating diverse educational experiences that bring the enjoyment, energy and enrichment of the arts to all.

Each year since 1931, Portland Ovations brings a dynamic season of exceptional performing artists from around the world to Maine including classical music, jazz, opera, dance, theater, and Broadway national tours. In addition to live performances, Ovations brings the exhilaration of the performing arts out into our community with season-long educational and outreach activities known as Ovations Offstage. A Maine-based non-profit, Portland Ovations contributes to the cultural, social and economic well-being of our community by presenting an array of high quality performing artists from around the world and creating diverse educational experiences that bring the enjoyment, energy and enrichment of the arts to all.

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