San Diego Opera is set to world premiere Nicolas Reveles’ “Ghosts” on April 14, 2023.

The work is comprised of three operas including “Eden,” “Dormir,” and “House.”

“Eden,” which is based on a libretto by John de los Santos, is a tribute to Edgar Allan Poe. “Dormir” was written by Michael Vegas Mussman and explores what might happen when Old World spiritual practices collide with the Christian belief system.  Finally, “House,” which was written by Reveles, explores how trauma haunts us like ghosts.

In an official press statement, Reveles professed a love for the horror genre.

“It’s a wonder to me why more opera composers aren’t drawn to the genre because it is full of opportunities for dramatic music and passionate vocal expression,” he added. “’Lucia di Lammermoor,’ ‘Pagliacci,’ and ‘Il tabarro’ are notable exceptions in the standard repertory. And a smattering of Poe-influenced operas and even operas based on novels by Stephen King have appeared more recently. ‘Dormir,’ completed just before the pandemic of 2020, and ‘House,’ written during the early months of the pandemic, are an attempt to bring the genre of operatic horror into a smaller space where, in my mind, they would have more of an impact on audiences than in a grand theatre.”

The performance will feature mezzo-sopranos Emily Fons and Ann McMahon Quintero, alongside tenor Andres Acosta. Bruce Stasyna conducts while de los Santos directs.

San Diego Opera will present additional performances on April 15 and 16, 2023.