December 15, 2021

Opera Orlando will debut The Secret River this weekend, marking the first time the organization has commissioned a new work. The story is set in Central Florida and based on Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ award-winning book of the same name.

Pegasus Professor Stella Sung, who also serves as director of the Center for Research and Education in Arts, Technology and Entertainment (CREATE), composed the opera’s music. Sung and Opera Orlando were awarded a prestigious grant to create the opera as part of Opera America’s national program to promote female composers of the genre.

“It’s a big step for Opera Orlando, for sure,” says Sung. “It’s a wonderful step forward.”

Click here to read the full story from the Orlando Sentinel.