Conrad Cummings’s fourth opera is “The Golden Gate” based on the best selling “novel in verse” by his old friend Vikram Seth. The action takes place in the early ’80s in San Francisco, which is where the composer and novelist first became acquainted. Set in two acts with a libretto by the composer, the opera has been in the works since 2006 and, as Conrad discusses on his web site, it’s undergone extensive renovations over the past six months.
“(It) reminds me acutely of the romantic adventures of my younger life,” says Conrad. “Boys with girls, boys with boys, it’s all there, along with the exhilaration and the heartbreak.”
Coming up are two workshop performances with conductor Steven Osgood and director John Henry and a cast of young singers performing off book. The performances are on Saturday January 16 and Sunday January 17, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. take place at the Rose Studio, 10th Floor of Lincoln Center’s Rose Building. Tickets are $25, available at www.operaprojects.org.
UPDATE: A fine review from Steve Smith for the New York Times.
