Composer

A deeply American masterpiece, Susannah, launches HGO’s 2026-27 season, continuing the company’s centenary celebration of opera icon Carlisle Floyd. Set in the hills of Tennessee and inspired by Floyd’s own roots as a minister’s son, the story follows Susannah, a young woman whose life is shattered after she’s seen bathing in a creek by church elders, leading to cruel gossip, judgment, and finally, her harrowing assault. Shared through a genre-blending score infused with revival hymns and Appalachian folksong—and a libretto, also by Floyd, written in colorful regional dialect—the opera will be presented in a new staging from celebrated soprano-turned-director Patricia Racette. Soprano Angel Blue, an international sensation, makes her role debut as Susannah, with leading baritone Rod Gilfry as the Reverend Olin Blitch and rising tenors Bille Bruley and Aaron Blake as Sam and Little Bat. Maestro James Gaffigan conducts.

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Susannah

Wortham Theater Center

For one afternoon only, the graduating and incoming Young Artists of Opera Australia come together for a compelling performance of music spanning Claudio Monteverdi to Gian Carlo Menotti.

Young Artists in Concert

Sydney Opera House

Steinbeck’s timeless novella Of Mice and Men becomes a superbly crafted opera of great beauty and power. George and Lennie are two migrant ranch workers who dream of owning an acre of land and a shack they can call their own. But George cannot guard Lennie, a childlike giant of a man with a love for soft things, from the bullying of the ranch boss and his flirtatious yet unhappy young wife. Steinbeck’s timeless story—in the hands of the Dean of American Opera, Carlisle Floyd—becomes a superbly crafted opera of great beauty and power.

Of Mice and Men

Simpson College

We end our season with a powerful adaptation of Steinbeck's classic novella by the father of American opera, Carlisle Floyd. Of Mice and Men delves deep into the American psyche and experience of the 1930s and brings to life the unbreakable bond between George and Lennie, migrant farm workers, striving for the American Dream. Directed by Kristine McIntyre, our production uses projections to immerse the audience in Lennie's perspective, blending intimate humanity with cinematic scope in a gripping, tragic journey.

Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Golda Schultz sings Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 — a haunting evocation of childhood memories — plus arias by Stravinsky and Carlisle Floyd. Alongside these, Kwamé Ryan conducts music by two quintessential American iconoclasts: Charles Ives’s The Unanswered Question and a new concerto by George Lewis, featuring the piano-and-percussion quartet Yarn/Wire.

Golda Schultz Sings Barber & Stravinsky

David Geffen Hall

Guest performance in Arnstadt »Do you speak English?«

Theater in the castle garden

A re-telling of the Book of Susannah, the story follows a pretty, innocent young woman as she falls under the jealous scrutiny of her rural Appalachian community. When the Reverend Blitch appears at her door offering redemption, tragic events unfold that force Susannah to take a stand for her dignity. Honoring the 100th anniversary of Carlisle Floyd's birth and in the state of its premiere, Susannah is a timeless, gripping tale and one of the most popular American operas.

Sarasota Opera House

There can be no more fitting way for HGO to celebrate the centennial of the birth of composer Carlisle Floyd—who founded the company’s Butler Studio program with then-General Director David Gockley in 1977—than a special staging of his evocative opera Of Mice and Men, performed by a cast of artists from the 2025-26 class of the Butler Studio. Based on John Steinbeck’s 1937 novella of the same name, the acclaimed 1970 opera will be presented by the Butler Studio in the Wortham’s intimate Cullen Theater.

The Great American Songbook, Classically Speaking

Music Building and Recital Hall

Coffee Concert № 3 “Do you speak English?”

Volkshaus Jena

Brahms Symphony No. 4 & Trumpet Virtuoso

Cannon Center For The Performing Arts

University of Memphis

A young girl blossoms into beauty in a small town in rural Tennessee. Her only relative is her drunken brother, her only friend the son of disapproving church leaders. The church elders come upon Susannah bathing nude in a creek by her house, and instead of seeing her innocence, they project their own sins upon the girl. One evil act breeds another in this tale of intolerance, betrayal and loss.

Palladium Theater St. Petersburg

Join us for an unforgettable evening as Stanford Live presents the farewell tour of Natalie Dessay and Philippe Cassard on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at 7:30 PM at the Bing Concert Hall. This exclusive performance marks a significant moment in the careers of two of classical music's most revered artists.

French soprano Natalie Dessay, celebrated for her virtuosic abilities and dramatic flair, has captivated audiences worldwide with her performances on the most prestigious opera stages, including the Paris Opera, Vienna State Opera, Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, and more. For this special tour, she is joined by the highly acclaimed French pianist Philippe Cassard, known for his exquisite interpretations of Debussy's works.

The evening's program promises an enchanting mix of opera and song, featuring pieces by Carlisle Floyd, Gian-Carlo Menotti, André Previn, Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, Samuel Barber, and more. Highlights include selections from Floyd's "Susannah," Menotti's "Le Médium," Previn's "A Streetcar Named Desire," and Copland's "Four Blues," among others.

Tickets start at $32, offering a range of seating options to accommodate all attendees. The lobby opens at 6:30 PM, allowing guests to enjoy beverages, light bites, and snacks before the performance begins.

Don't miss this opportunity to witness the artistry of Natalie Dessay and Philippe Cassard as they bid farewell to the stage in this memorable performance at Stanford's Bing Concert Hall.

Natalie Dessay and Philippe Cassard

Stanford University

"Cold Sassy Tree" humorously explores family dynamics in a small Georgia town.

Cold Sassy Tree

Canyon High School

Our fan-favorite evening of music and wine pairings returns! This year features the return of Soprano, Melissa Wimbish, and the introduction of acclaimed percussionist and faculty at the Peabody Conservatory, Jeff Stern. Exciting works by composers from around the world are paired with incredible wines from our friends at Annapolis’ own Bin 201. Must be 21 or older to partake in wine tastings.

Fine Wine and Finer Music

Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis

Alumni Concert – June 2, 2024

Carnegie Mellon University

Graduate Recital – Aubrey Aikens

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Join CSO and Maestro Intriligator for a concert to eclipse all others! We welcome Cheyenne native Sarah Hartmann, actor & director, for “Music of the Spheres.” You’ll enjoy Holst’s The Planets, Floyd’s “Ain’t it a pretty night” from Susannah, sung by a local women’s chorus and Debussy’s classic, Claire de lune from Suite Bergamasque. Sponsored by Halladay Motors.  Guest Artist Underwritten by Harry & Lucie Osborn.

Holst's The Planets

Cheyenne Civic Center

Music She Wrote showcases music by, for, and about women. Fanmi Imèn by Valerie Coleman was written in 2018 and the name is Haitian Creole for Maya Angelou's famous song "Human Family." Camarada will also present works by Libby Larsen, George Gershwin, Carlisle Floyd, Amy Beach and Gabriela Lena Frank.

Music She Wrote

UC San Diego Park & Market

The opening American Concert of the 3rd year of the Classical Concerts at Werich’s music festival will feature American soprano Bree Nichols, "finger-style" guitarist Martin Homola and pianist Jan Mára.

A Celebration of American Music Klasika u Wericha

Klasika u Wericha

The Senior Adieu concert is a cherished tradition at Boston Conservatory and is always filled with beauty, emotion, fun, and surprises. This eclectic evening of art song, arias, and scenes will feature senior voice performance majors and pianist Yukiko Oba. Please join us in celebrating these wonderful young artists and all they have added to our community over the last few years.

Class Recital: Senior Voice Adieu Concert

Boston Conservatory at Berklee

Students of Dan Callaway’s musical theater voice studio perform a selection of songs from a range of musical theater repertoire.

Studio Recital: Dan Callaway Voice Studio

Curtis Opera Theatre opens its 2026–27 series with Susannah, Carlisle Floyd’s poignant tragedy that helped define American opera. Written at the height of 1950s McCarthyism, the opera draws inspiration from the biblical story of Susanna and the Elders, reimagining the tale in rural Tennessee. The work follows a young woman unjustly persecuted by her Evangelical community after a false accusation, unfolding into a raw and deeply human drama.

Philadelphia Film Society Center

The iconic story of Cathy and Heathcliff whose bond in
childhood grows into an unbreakable love. American
composer Carlisle Floyd’s setting of the story has not been
seen in NYC since its premiere in 1959. The production is
being presented as part of the nationwide celebration of
the composer's centennial.

Wuthering Heights

Eighteen-year-old Susannah Polk lives with her brother Sam in the woods outside a Tennessee mountain town. When local churchmen spot her bathing in an isolated creek, she becomes the target of gossip, accusations, and worse.

Susannah (San Diego Opera)

San Diego Civic Theatre

Gabriella Reyes stars in Carlisle Floyd’s apocryphal Appalachian fable, presented at Lyric Opera of Chicago for the first time since 2002.

In small-town Tennessee, young Susannah’s beauty and gentleness earn her admiration from some — and envy from others. But in this devout community where modesty is tantamount to holiness, rumors of Susannah’s impropriety threaten more than just her humble reputation.

With a taut, visceral libretto sung in English and a score that infuses lush orchestration with flavors of Broadway and American folk music, this modern masterpiece is as raw and gripping today as when it premiered more than five decades ago.

Composer

Carlisle Floyd

Events

Upcoming events

19 - 21 Nov, 2026

Susannah · Curtis Institute of Music

19 - 22 Nov, 2026

Wuthering Heights · The Little Opera Theatre Of NY

Feb 12, 2027

Susannah (San Diego Opera) · San Diego Symphony

12 - 14 Feb, 2027

Susannah · San Diego Opera

11 - 23 Apr, 2027

Susannah · Lyric Opera of Chicago

Past events

Oct 23 - Nov 8, 2026

Susannah · Houston Grand Opera

Aug 2, 2026

Young Artists in Concert · Opera Australia

About

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