Published on March 13, 2018 by Ashley Smith  
gatsby

Samford University and the School of the Arts have commissioned a new opera, The Ghosts of Gatsby, to debut over the next two years at Samford and be presented by the Samford Opera.  The work began several years ago with the collaboration of Kristin Kenning, director of Samford Opera, with librettist Joshua McGuire and composer/pianist Evan Mack. 

Kenning has worked with this talented pair over the past few years, workshopping a variety of pieces. This will be the first commissioned opera for Samford. 

Patrons are invited to a sneak preview Workshop Performance on March 24 at 1 p.m. in Brock Recital Hall.  

“The value to our students is immeasurable,” notes Kenning. “This ‘Workshop Performance’ with the composer and librettist on hand allow the creators to edit and revise the opera on site.  Our students will experience the creation of an opera as well as they will define the roles. Unlike so many of the historical pieces we do where the students can emulate a character, this forces them to build the character from scratch.”  

“The one act opera is intentionally inspired by our Alabama roots,” says Kenning. “We wanted to highlight a character from our history and Zelda Fitzgerald is such an iconic symbol of the Jazz Era and wonderful subject to explore.” 

The opera focuses on three different ages of Zelda and her relationship with famed husband F. Scott Fitzgerald. Infused with the Jazz Era mood, the opera is rich with dance and musical scoring that features the clarinet, vibraphone, drum set, piano, string quartet and double bass.  

After the workshopping phase, The Ghosts of Gatsby will be performed in its entirety as a premiere on the Samford stages during the 2018-19 season. Samford Opera intends to share this experience with the Birmingham community and also hopes to take the production on the road. 

“The potential of this show is tremendous for both Samford and our students and we are deeply grateful to our sponsors Dr. and Mrs. Chandler Smith for their ongoing support,” adds Kenning.  

The Ghosts of Gatsby performance is free.  For more information visit Samford.edu/arts/events. 

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.