Opera Parellèle (OP) has received support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation for its commission of Laura Kaminsky to compose the music for “Today It Rains,” a new chamber opera with a libretto by Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed (based on the original concept by Campbell) and projection design by Reed.

“Today It Rains” reteams Kaminsky, Reed and Campbell after their successful work in “As One,” one of the most performed contemporary works in the country. The new work is inspired by a real event in the life of Georgia O’Keeffe and the 80-minute opera imagines O’Keeffe’s personal journey on a seminal train ride as she reexamines her tumultuous marriage with photographer Alfred Stieglitz, her artistic stasis, and her need for new inspiration to guide her work.

OP originally commissioned the work in December 2015 and the Hewlett Foundation has provided a major grant in the amount of $150,000 to support creation of the production, as well as a comprehensive community engagement programs and education outreach with partners UC Santa Cruz and San Francisco’s Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts beginning in May 2018, which will host in-depth music workshops, art-making and panel discussions with students and local communities, and the world premiere.

Opera Parallèle will partner with American Opera Projects (AOP) to co-produce “Today It Rains,” premiering the work in March 2019.