(Credit: Hawai’i Opera Theatre official website)

The Hawai’i Opera Theatre has announced the upcoming digital world premiere of Laura Kaminsky and Kimberly Reed’s newest opera “Hometown to the World” on May 21, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. HST.

The stream will be available thereafter for purchase.

The work was commissioned by the Santa Fe Opera and co-commissioned by the Hawai’i Opera Theatre. The opera will star mezzo-sopranos Sarah Lambert Connelly and Maya Hoover, and baritone Ian McGuffin. Benjamin Makino will lead the 6-musician ensemble from the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra in the production by Karen Tiller.

“Hawai’i Opera Theatre is proud to be a commissioning partner with The Santa Fe Opera in their Opera for All Voices program. When I first heard about ‘Hometown to the World,’ I was immediately taken by the humanity of the characters. I knew it would be a good fit for HOT as we serve a diverse community that has a history with immigration,” said the Hawai’i Opera Theatre General Director Andrew Morgan in a press release. “Our original plan was for live performances at the Orvis Auditorium on the campus of the University of Hawai’i-Mānoa, but I felt this was a work that could be told powerfully in the digital platform we pivoted to during the current pandemic.

“Although the impetus for the story is an act of violence, Laura and Kimberly’s opera focuses on the humanity of just three individuals – each representing distinct aspects of the larger community – and how they come to terms with their grief and loss, ultimately envisioning a path to healing. It is a powerful work that does not shy from the politics of immigration but also tells a universal story of humanity in the face of crisis,” concluded Morgan.