Piedmont Opera will continue its 50th Anniversary Season with the North Carolina premieres of two operas by composer Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer, two of the leading voices in contemporary American opera.

The double bill will include “Another Sunrise” and “Before It All Goes Dark” for six performances between Nov. 12 and 22, 2026, at Hanesbrands Theatre.

“Another Sunrise” tells the story of Krystyna Żywulska, a Holocaust survivor, writer and resistance member whose poems and songs became acts of defiance during her imprisonment at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Meanwhile, “Before It All Goes Dark” follows Gerald “Mac” McDonald, a Vietnam veteran who discovers a previously unknown Jewish family history and a Holocaust-era legacy stolen from his family.

In a statement, Joseph Mechavich, General Director of Piedmont Opera said, “From Renée Fleming’s opening of our anniversary season to the extraordinary storytelling of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer, we are bringing Winston-Salem audiences into direct conversation with some of the most important artists working in opera today. Having Jake and Gene here with us makes these North Carolina premieres especially meaningful.”

Tonya McKinny will direct and Ryan McKinny will star.