VIDEO PREMIERE – Michigan Trees: an Opera in 11 Parts

Michigan Trees: A Guide to the Trees of Michigan and the Great Lakes Region – an Opera in 11 Parts has a libretto and music by Grey Grant, and is directed and conducted by Karl Ronneburg. 

The production was staged and premiered at the Ypsilanti Freighthouse on August 28-29, 2019. This special streaming event is the official release of the videorecording from that premiere production! On April 20th starting at 7pm, we will host an “opening night” event where we will stream the full opera, followed by a talkback with the creative team and cast which will take place via Zoom. The production will then be available for viewing on-demand until April 27th.

About the show:

Michigan Trees: A Guide to the Trees of Michigan and the Great Lakes Region is a new folk opera for classical and folk vocalists, steeped in mythos and Michigan, all the while remaining relevant to the present-day experiences of trans folks. In the opera, we follow the journey of Orna, a trans-woman, as she grapples with self-acceptance. She travels to the north of Michigan, guided by the Mother of Trees, to transform into the white pine that sits upon Chapel Rock at the edge of Lake Superior, overlooking it all.

Creative Team:

Grey Grant – Composer, Librettist

Karl Ronneburg – Director, Music Director, Dramaturg

Peter Littlejohn – Sound Design

Emily Yang – Lighting Design

Maya Johnson – Crafts Design

Tanner Porter – Cover Art

Cast:

Allison Prost – Orna, As She Sees Herself

Grey Grant – Orna, As She Feels She is Seen

Kate Moss, Kara Huckabone, Samantha Kao – Mother of Trees

Musicians:

Converge New Music: Megan Rohrer, Malhar Kute – violins; Ryan McDonald – viola; Hanna Brooke Rumora – cello

Danielle Gonzalez, Sofia Carbonara – percussion

Produced by Fifth Wall Performing Arts, supported in part by the School of Music, Theater, and Dance Meta Weiser EXCEL Fund