Castor and Patience

Castor and Patience is an opera composed by Gregory Spears to a libretto by Tracy K. Smith, commissioned by Cincinnati Opera for its 100th anniversary season and received its world premiere there in July 2022.[1][2] The opera was developed by Opera Fusion: New Works, a collaboration between Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music which focuses on the creation of new American operas. The world premiere production was directed by Kevin Newbury and conducted by Kazem Abdullah.

Castor and Patience
Opera by Gregory Spears
LibrettistTracy K. Smith
LanguageEnglish
Premiere
21 July 2022 (2022-07-21)
Cincinnati Opera

Roles
Roles, voice types, premiere cast
RoleVoice typePremiere cast, July 21, 2022[3]
Conductor: Kazem Abdullah
PatiencesopranoTalise Trevigne
CastorbaritoneReginald Smith Jr.
Celestemezzo-sopranoJennifer Johnson Cano
WilhelminasopranoVictoria Okafor
WestbaritoneBenjamin Taylor
JudahtenorFrederick Ballentine
RuthiesopranoRaven McMillon
Clarissa/EnsemblesopranoAmber Monroe
Jane/Ensemblemezzo-sopranoZoie Reams
Nestor/EnsembletenorVictor Ryan Robertson
Cato/EnsemblebaritonePhillip Bullock
Second Man/Ensemblebass-baritoneEarl Hazell

Synopsis

Critical reception

Castor and Patience was named one of the Best Classical Music Performances of 2022 by The New York Times[4] and was on the shortlist for the Best World Premiere in the International Opera Awards in 2022.[5]

In his review for The New York Times, Zachary Woolfe named the performance a "Critic's Pick" and described the work as "passionate, but also clear, focused and humble" and praised the music as "so fervent, the melodies so sweet, that you can find yourself moved nearly to tears by more or less random lines."[6]

References
  1. Waleson, Heidi (July 26, 2022). "Castor and Patience Review: Land and Legacy at the Opera". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  2. Gelfand, Janelle (July 22, 2022). "Review: Powerful and evocative, Cincinnati Opera's Castor and Patience is a sweeping epic". Cincinnati Business Courier. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  3. "Castor and Patience". Cincinnati Opera. May 31, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  4. Woolfe, Zachary (December 1, 2022). "Best Classical Music Performances of 2022". The New York Times. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  5. "2022 Opera Awards Shortlist". OperaAwards.org. International Opera Awards. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  6. Woolfe, Zachary (July 22, 2022). "Review: A New Opera Tells an Original Story With an Open Heart". The New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
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