Our season concludes with three iconic compositions and two orchestral world premieres. Bernstein’s toe-tapping Three Dance Episodes from On the Town, Copland’s distinctively American Appalachian Spring Suite, and Gershwin’s jazz-infused Rhapsody in Blue are paired with two works rooted in Western New York. Michael Daugherty’s Niagara Falls is a musical journey through one of the world’s great scenic wonders, while Buffalo-born Paul Moravec’s Serenade—inspired by the Great Western Staircase at the New York State Capitol, a marvel of intricate sculpture and history—offers a stirring narrative of ascent and aspiration.

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American Soundscapes

Kleinhans Music Hall

We start the New Year with a special collaboration with our friends, Voces Solis.  Don't miss this wonderful performance with songs from the heart.

A Special Collaboration with Voces Solis

Step into a world of spine-chilling suspense and eerie melodies with a program featuring the most iconic music in the horror films genre. From the shrieking strings of Psycho to the chilling scores of The Shining and Halloween, this concert brings to life many of the terrifying but thrilling themes that horror fans know and love.

Commencing with a lively cocktail hour in the lobby and engaging introductions by the conductor, this series guarantees thrilling experiences, all within 60 minutes, for newcomers and aficionados alike.

Haunted Film Scores - Symphony in 60

Jacoby Symphony Hall

Deep in the shadows of the Colorado Rockies and miles from where anyone can hear you scream; the Overlook Hotel awaits. For its new caretakers, the Torrance family, the only thing more unnerving than their profound seclusion and solitude is the realization that they are not the hotel’s only guests.

While his young son with a sixth sense endures this house of horrors, Jack faces demons – past and present, real and imagined – that ultimately turn him into a monster. 

What started as a desperate search for financial (and marital) sanctuary now spirals out of control and sinks into a terrifying struggle for sanity and survival. Based on Stephen King’s best-selling novel, The Shining features music as beautiful and haunting as the story is horrifying.

The Shining

Tennessee Performing Arts Center

Deep in the shadows of the Colorado Rockies and miles from where anyone can hear you scream; the Overlook Hotel awaits. For its new caretakers, the Torrance family, the only thing more unnerving than their profound seclusion and solitude is the realization that they are not the hotel’s only guests. While his young son with a sixth sense endures this house of horrors, his father faces demons – past and present, real and imagined – that ultimately turn him into a monster. What started as a desperate search for financial (and marital) sanctuary now spirals out of control and sinks into a terrifying struggle for sanity and survival. Based on Stephen King’s best-selling novel and with music as beautiful and haunting as the story is horrifying.

This evocative program shines a light on the harrowing journeys made by countless souls along the Underground Railroad, as told through Paul Moravec’s Sanctuary Road. Drawing from the poignant accounts recorded by abolitionist William Still, this oratorio stands as a profound homage to the indomitable spirit and bravery of those who sought freedom from slavery. Complementing this narrative, Margaret Bonds’ Montgomery Variations pays homage to Martin Luther King Jr. and the pivotal civil rights movement, weaving a musical tapestry that speaks to the heart of the struggle for justice and equality.

Sanctuary Road

### Event Description: The Shining at Portland Opera

**Event Overview:**
Experience the chilling tale of "The Shining" at the Portland Opera, a gripping adaptation of Stephen King’s iconic novel. This opera, set in 1977, follows the Torrance family as they become winter caretakers of the remote Overlook Hotel. As the snow falls, malevolent forces awaken, and their son Danny, gifted with a sixth sense, starts experiencing terrifying visions. The tension escalates as Jack Torrance, the father, is consumed by the demons of his past and the dangerous ghosts of the Overlook.

**Music and Libretto:**
- **Composer:** Paul Moravec, Pulitzer Prize and Grammy-winning composer
- **Librettist:** Mark Campbell

**Production Details:**
- **Venue:** Newmark Theatre
- **Language:** English with English captions
- **Length:** 2 hours, including 1 intermission

**Creative Team:**
- **Conductor:** Damien Geter
- **Stage Director:** Erin Neff
- **Original Stage Director:** Brian Staufenbiel
- **Original Scenic Designer:** Jacquelyn Scott
- **Original Projection Designer:** David Murakami
- **Original Lighting Designer:** Jim French
- **Original Costume Designer:** Alina Bokovikova
- **Original Wig & Make-Up Designer:** Y. Sharon Peng

**Cast:**
- **Jack Torrance:** Robert Wesley Mason
- **Wendy Torrance:** Rebecca Krynski Cox
- **Dick Hollorann:** Quinton Gardner
- **Mark Torrance:** Richard Zeller

**Accessibility:**
- **Captions:** Live English captions projected above the stage for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- **Audio Description:** Available during Sunday matinee performances for patrons who are blind or have low vision.

**Additional Information:**
- **Production:** A co-production by Opera Parallèle, Hawai’i Opera Theatre, and Portland Opera.
- **Tickets:** Available for purchase, with options to renew subscriptions or create new ones.

**Community Commitment:**
Portland Opera is dedicated to creating a safe and welcoming environment for all attendees, with a strong stance against bigotry, discrimination, and harassment.

**Support and Sponsors:**
Portland Opera extends gratitude to its patrons and donors, including the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, Marie Lamfrom Charitable Trust, National Endowment for the Arts, Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Community Foundation, Regional Arts and Culture Council, and support from the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and the Arts Education & Access Fund.

Join us for an unnerving journey through madness and the supernatural with "The Shining" at the Portland Opera. Secure your tickets today and immerse yourself in this stunning operatic experience.

Portland'5 Centers for the Arts

Experience a remarkable evening featuring works by some of today’s finest composers, performed by an extraordinary group of young artists.

The Marshall Opera Oral History Project bridges generations by introducing young artists to seasoned composers, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of their music and the cultural environment of their era.

Each young artist connects with their assigned composer through an interview, which is shared on the Marshall Opera YouTube channel. This exchange not only helps the artists learn about their composer’s journey but also provides composers a platform to tell their story.

Marshall Opera Oral History Project Concert

The Cell theater

Conductor Andrew Grams leads the CSO in an all-American program of music that expresses the pulse of freedom that courses through all of us, from Aaron Copland and Samuel Barber to the operatic storytelling of history in Sanctuary Road, created by Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell. 

Gaillard Center

Composers have been inspired by all kinds of stories, legends, and tales – from great works of literature, to folk myths and poetry. This concert is all about music which tells a tale in sound. Featuring Paul Moravec’s Pulitzer-Prize winning piece Tempest Fantasy, this program will include performances by PCM faculty Nic Gerpe, Katelyn Vahala (pianos), and Brian Walsh (clarinet), violinist Alyssa Park and cellist Timothy Loo of the Lyris Quartet, and renowned sopranos Hila Plitmann and Elissa Johnston. We are also excited to feature guest narrator and actress Jane Kaczmarek.

Wicked Goat | Stories

Pasadena Conservatory of Music

Harriet Tubman may be the best-known conductor of the Underground Railroad, but there were others including William Still. An abolitionist and historian, as well as a conductor for the Underground Railroad, he is credited with helping nearly 800 enslaved African Americans escape to freedom. Sanctuary Road by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Paul Moravec, is based on the remarkable writings of William Still.



Sanctuary Road In Richmond

Dominion Energy Center

Sanctuary Road In Fairfax

George Mason University

Virginia Opera continues our partnership with Hampton Roads Pride for a second season. You’ll enjoy socializing with an exciting mix of people while supporting the arts. Membership options are $125 for an individual and $250 for a couple.

Hampton Roads Pride Out At The Opera

Harrison Opera House

Sanctuary Road is based on the remarkable writings of William Still – an abolitionist, historian, and conductor of the Underground Railroad who helped nearly 800 enslaved African Americans escape to freedom. This moving piece tells the stories of Clarissa Davis, who fled Portsmouth, VA, Henry “Box” Brown, who fled Richmond, VA, along with the account of several other men and women who risked it all in pursuit of freedom.

Sanctuary Road In Norfolk

Alliance Theatre and The Atlanta Opera present Stephen King’s iconic, supernatural tale of possession and murder. Jack Torrance, a father with a troubled past, finds new employment as the winter caretaker for the Overlook Hotel. But as the family settles in to their new accommodations, demonic spirits from the hotel’s past begin to take hold of Jack as he becomes a vessel for their murderous intents. Composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell masterfully adapt this riveting story as an opera that will keep you on the edge of your seats from start to finish.

Alliance Theatre

The Atlanta Opera makes its long-awaited return to the Alliance Theatre as Stephen King’s iconic 1977 thriller comes to the stage in this supernatural tale of possession and murder. Jack Torrance, a father with a troubled past, finds new employment as the winter caretaker for the Overlook Hotel. 

Adapted from Stephen King’s iconic novel, the Pulitzer- and Grammy-winning team of Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell bring The Shining to even more frightening depths than ever before.

The Blue Shield of California Theater at YBCA

Based on the novel by Stephen King, The Shining brings audiences inside the Overlook Hotel as the Torrance family becomes trapped by snow, isolation, and the hotel’s malevolent history. Danny’s sixth sense exposes horrors long buried, while Jack’s struggle with his past turns increasingly dangerous. Wendy refuses to give up without a fight. With a haunting score by Paul Moravec and libretto by Mark Campbell, this opera transforms King’s psychological thriller into a powerful family drama – unnerving, emotional, and impossible to look away from.

Paul Moravec

Events

Upcoming events

16 - 18 Apr, 2027

The Shining · Opera Columbus

Past events

5 - 6 Jun, 2026

American Soundscapes · Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

Feb 7, 2026

A Special Collaboration with Voces Solis · Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh

About

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