(Photo credit: Molly Noori)

Lyric Opera of Orange County has announced that Brooke deRosa and Diana Farrell’s new opera “The Yellow Wallpaper” is set to makes its world premiere at Carnegie Hall on Jan. 31.

“The Yellow Wallpaper” is based on Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story of the same name. The opera is set against the backdrop of the oppressive “rest cure,” a 19th-century treatment for women suffering from so-called hysteria. It delves into themes of women’s autonomy over their bodies and health, then and now, and explores a woman’s psychological journey from confinement to liberation.

Farrell said in a press release, “Though the methods seem absurd in 2025, the story of ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ is as relevant today as it was in Gilman’s time. In the libretto I quote the real life work and words of Dr. Weir Mitchell and his male colleagues who created and anecdotally defended the “rest cure,” and Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi, one of the first woman physicians whose scientific and rational documentation negating the rest cure was simply ignored by so many medical professionals at the time. It seemed a bizarre parallel to know that it’s been 150 years since Jacobi began her methodical work and the nearly 130 years since Gilman first published the novella based on her experiences, and yet in many places women are still not allowed autonomy over their bodies and care.”

DeRosa added, “The music for ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ explores the widest emotional range I’ve composed so far. It begins with lush, elegant melodies that evoke a sense of serenity and beauty, but as the narrative unfolds, those same melodies become increasingly warped and distorted, mirroring Jane’s unraveling psyche…I consider this piece more of a cinematic horror opera, as the leitmotifs not only define specific characters but also embody the oppressive setting and underscore pivotal actions. The interplay between the melodic transformation and Jane’s psychological descent makes the music an active participant in the storytelling, heightening the sense of dread and confinement that permeates the work.”

Farrell will sing the role of Jane, deRosa takes the stage as Jenney, and baritone Michael O’Halloran joins as producer and sings the role of John. This semi-staged concert production, directed by Cynthia Stokes. Conductor and pianist Carl Pantle will lead the chamber ensemble, Terpsikord. A fully staged production is planned for Southern California in fall 2025.

The premiere will take place in the Weil Recital Hall, at 8 p.m.

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