Bard SummerScape is set to present the first-ever U.S. production of Meyerbeer’s “Le Prophète” in 47 years.

The production of the Meyerbeer masterpiece will be directed by Christian Räth and conducted by Leon Botstein. It will star Robert Watson, Jennifer Feinstein, and Amina Edris.

“’Le prophète’ is unique because, beyond its historical elements, it has so many parallels to the world that we live in today,” Räth said in an official press release. “I don’t see how you could stage it today as just a historical piece. It is an opera that has a great deal to say about our times. It talks to us about how religion and other kinds of ideology can be misused to manipulate people, and about the consequences for their personal relationships and for society as a whole.”

The opera was last presented at the Metropolitan Opera in 1977 and was a house favorite in the 1920s.

“Meyerbeer has wonderful invention, and a Mozartean instinct for time,” Botstein said in an official press release. “He doesn’t wear out his welcome! He has an unerring sense of contrast and dramatic development, and his work is extremely well-orchestrated. There’s a wide range of sonorities that play into the colorful theatricality of his stagecraft. And he has a real regard for the vocal brilliance of his protagonists – he’s a singer’s friend.”

The opera opens on July 26 and runs through August 4, 2024. Botstein will give a talk on the opera on July 28 and there will be a premiere party and intermission toast on the opening of the production. There will also be a “Maestro Dinner” following the penultimate showcase. The third performance will also be streamed live online (July 31) with an encore showcase set for the August 3 performance.