Pittsburgh Opera will present “The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson” this April.

The showcase, which features original music by Carlos Simon as well as additional music from Bizet, opens on April 27 and runs through May 5, 2024.

The work is inspired by the true story of the founder of the National Negro Opera Company in Pittsburgh in 1941. It stars Alyson Cambridge in the titular role. She is joined by Christian Mark Gibbs, Meroë Khalia Adeeb, both in their Pittsburgh Opera debuts, as well as Jazmine Olwalia, Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist. Marvin Mills is the music director and Kimille Howard directs the production.

There will also be a series of community events throughout March and April including a Family Day (March 26), “Opera Meets Jazz” (April 5), “Honoring our Past, Connecting to Our Present” Storytelling (April 11), “Sharing Experiences of Black Creatives,” and “A Legacy Realized: A Conversation and Music With Denyce Graves on Mary Cardwell Dawson” (April 16).