Fisher Center LAB at Bard College will present the world premiere of composer Courtney Bryan’s “Suddenly Last Summer” as part of SummerScape 2026.

The chamber opera, featuring a libretto by Fisher Center Artistic Director Gideon Lester and Tony-nominated director Daniel Fish, runs from June 25 through July 19 at the Fisher Center’s LUMA Theater. The production is co-produced by Opera Philadelphia.

The work, which draws from Tennessee Williams’s psychological thriller of the same name, centers on the mysterious death of poet Sebastian Venable in Spain, and his mother’s desperate attempts to silence his cousin through lobotomy.

Bryan, a 2023 MacArthur Fellow and New Orleans native, makes her theatrical debut with the score, which draws on the musical traditions of both New Orleans and the Mediterranean coast.

Soprano Mikaela Bennett leads the cast as Catherine Holly, a role Bryan composed specifically for her voice. Renowned stage and screen actress Tina Benko portrays the formidable Mrs. Venable, with Branden Lindsay as Dr. Cukrowicz. The Young People’s Chorus of New York City rounds out the ensemble. Music direction is led by Nathan Koci.

“Suddenly Last Summer” marks the first presentation of the Fisher Center LAB’s inaugural Civis Hope Commissions.

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