The public is invited to the first viewing of Abraham in Flames by Niloufar Talebi on October 3 and 4 at the Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera. Workshop performances feature the first act of the opera, developed by librettist and creator Talebi, collaborating organization Merola Opera Program, director Roy Rallo, and composer Aleksandra Vrebalov. Other artistic partners in this venture include The Living Earth Show, the Young Women’s Choral Projects of San Francisco, and conductor Ming Luke. The cast features coloratura soprano Nikki Einfeld, tenor Brian Thorsett, tenor Andrew Metzger, mezzo-soprano Jasmine Johnson, and bass Colin Ramsey.
The creation of Abraham in Flames stems from Talebi’s upbringing during the post-Iranian revolution. Amid the chaos of the time, her family hosted the iconic Iranian poet and writer Ahmad Shamlou (1925-2000). Nominated for the Nobel prize, Shamlou drew upon both Iranian and world literatures to pioneer a cultural revolution and push the boundaries of Persian poetry. The opera’s title comes from a seminal book of poems by Shamlou.
Tickets to the performance are available.