BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — An opera on the life of one of Alabama’s most celebrated women is now in the works and set to make its debut in Birmingham in 2024.
On Wednesday, Opera Birmingham announced that it had commissioned an opera to be written on the life of Helen Keller, a Tuscumbia native whose story includes learning how to write and speak despite being deaf and blind. The opera, tentatively titled “Touch,” focuses on Keller’s adult life and the accomplishments that she and her teacher, Anne Sullivan Macy, achieved as both humanitarians and activists.
Opera Birmingham has enlisted Carla Lucero and Marianna Mott Newirth to write the libretto for the opera, which will be split into two acts and will be both written and performed in English, as well as interpreted in American Sign Language. The text of the opera will be projected above the stage. Braille program notes, assisted listening devices and audio description services will also be available.
“Touch” will feature three principal singing roles for the character of Anne Sullivan Macy, her husband, John, and Keller’s interpreter, Peter Fagan. An actor will play Helen Keller, and there will be an ensemble of six singers, representing Keller’s voice and doubling in secondary roles. The score will be orchestrated for seven players: flute, bassoon, percussion, prepared piano, and string trio.
“A world-renowned humanitarian, Helen Keller fiercely advocated for women’s suffrage, civil rights, and disability rights,” a statement from Opera Birmingham read. “Her monumental achievements over 80 years shed light on society’s darkest disabilities. She saw the need for a balanced world, heard the cry of the oppressed and spoke for them. Miss Keller’s passion was equally present in her personal life. ‘Touch’ tenderly captures the humanity of her life, characteristics often overlooked in such an iconic figure. She was quick-witted and playful, devoted and fiercely loving, and as interested in reading Jane Austin’s romantic novels as the philosophy of Walt Whitman.”
In the statement announcing “Touch,” Opera Birmingham general director Keith A. Wolf-Hughes said one of the focuses of the the group is to produce work that speaks to modern times.
“When we heard about Carla’s proposal for composing ‘Touch,’ it was almost like a lightning bolt hit me,” Wolf-Hughes said. “It’s a story with deep Alabama connections, about two remarkable women who worked tirelessly on so many civil rights issues. Additionally, they had a very complex relationship to each other. All of these elements come together for a very powerful story, which is perfect for the operatic stage.”
A workshop of the opera will take place this fall at the Seagle Festival in New York. The world premiere of Touch will take place in Birmingham in January 2024.
Additional information on the opera can be found here.