Due to popular demand, the National Sawdust in NYC will now host two preview events for its upcoming world premiere production of “A River Runs Through It” by Opera Montana.

The two performances, one at 5:30 p.m. and another at 8 p.m. local time, will feature John Maclean, son of author Norman Maclean and author of “Home Waters,” reading passages from his father’s celebrated novella paired with corresponding excerpts from the opera by composer Zach Redler and a librettist Matt Foss and Kelley Rourke.

Based on Norman Maclean’s novella, the opera follows adult brothers Norman and Paul Maclean, who have grown apart over time. Paul, a newspaperman and gambler, struggles with troubles he refuses to confront, while Norman attempts to help him reconnect with family and faith. A final fishing trip with their father becomes a reflection on love, loss, and the shifting roles within the family.

The world premiere of “A River Runs Through It” is set for September 2026 at the Ellen Theatre in Bozeman, with additional performances to follow in Missoula in October.