(photo by Karli Cadel)

New Orleans Opera Association is set to present the Southern premiere of “Blue” on Nov. 10 and 12, 2023.

The opera by Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson was voted “Best New Opera” in 2020 by the Music Critics Association of North America. This production will star Krysty Swann, Cory McGee, Jonathan Pierce Rhodes, Gordon Hawkins, Charbrelle Williams, Kourtney Holmes, Kendra Beasley, Tyrone Chambers, Mark Anthony Thomas, and Ivan Griffin, among others.

Michael Ellis Ingram conducts and Timothy Douglas directs.

“Throughout history, art has always served as a powerful form of activism, igniting social change and raising awareness,” said New Orleans Opera General and Artistic Director Clare Burovac in an official press statement. “It’s vital for New Orleans Opera to program stories, like Blue, that are part of our community’s real-life experiences, and which encourage empathy and understanding.”

In addition to the performances, the Women’s Guild Opera Orientation will host an event for the opera on Oct. 29, 2023. There will also be a pre-opera party featuring music by the Electric Yat Quartet. There will also be a 30-minute pre-concert Nuts-and-Bolts Lecture.