The Show

Mahagonny Songspiel

Known as "The Little Mahagonny," the opera premiered in Germany in July, 1927. It is the precursor of the full opera The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. The opera was banned by the Nazis in 1933 and did not have a significant production until the 1960s.

* Sung in German with English supertitles

Vera of Las Vegas

Two ex-IRA operatives on the run from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service cross paths with two rogue MI-5 agents when they are stuck in Las Vegas for a day, where they encounter the transvestite Vera. The opera deals with reinvention, self-awareness, and the nature of love. The music fuses cabaret, 70's folk-rock, Broadway, and modern classical to create a unique and highly melodic score. It premiered in New York City in 2003.

* Sung in English with English supertitles

* Pre-performance lecture for both operas in the library beginning 45 mins prior to curtain