(Credit: Portland Opera official website)

The Portland Opera has announced the upcoming U.S. premiere of Leslie Uyeda and Rachel Rose’s opera “When the Sun Comes Out.”

The opera house will present six performances of the opera on Jan. 28 and 30, Feb. 3, 5, 10, and 12, 2022 at the Gregory K. and Mary Chomenko Hinckley Studio Theatre at the Hampton Opera Center.

The opera stars Sandra Piques Eddy in the role of Lilah, Cree Carrico as Solana, and Michael Parham in the role of Javan. Maria Sensi Sellner conducts a production by Alison Moritz.

“We fell in love with this important piece and look forward to sharing this intimate production with the community at our artistic home,” said General Director Sue Dixon in an official press statement. “We cannot forget that it has only been six years since same-sex marriage was legalized here in our own country. At a time when nearly 70 countries around the world still criminalize LGBTQA people, the story of this work continues to be incredibly relevant.”

“With ‘When the Sun Comes Out,’ we are delighted to produce a new work written by a team of two incredibly talented women, Leslie Uyeda and Rachel Rose,” added Portland Opera’s Artistic Director Priti Gandhi. “This production will be the second production of this work after its premiere in Canada, and we are honored to share this with our community.”

Digital access will also be available for a limited time on Portland Opera Onscreen, starting Feb. 25, 2022.