Audiences are invited to experience exclusive sneak peeks of John Lewis: Good Trouble (Oct. 11) by Maria Thompson Corley and Diana Solomon-Glover, and Sleepers Awake (Nov. 8) by Gregory Spears
CINCINNATI (September 3, 2025)— Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) invite the public to preview two new operas-in-progress this fall as part of their dynamic creative partnership, Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW). OF:NW offers composers and librettists the opportunity to refine their pieces through Cincinnati-based workshops, culminating in public performances of excerpts that provide audiences with a unique glimpse into the development process.
The first work to be featured is John Lewis: Good Trouble, with a public preview on Saturday, October 11 at 2 p.m. It will be followed by Sleepers Awake, with a public presentation of excerpts on Saturday, November 8 at 2 p.m. Both events will take place at Cincinnati Music Hall’s Wilks Studio (1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202). Tickets are $15 for adults and free for full-time students (one ticket per valid student ID) and may be reserved at cincinnatiopera.org or by calling 513-241-2742 (M-F, 12-5 p.m.).
John Lewis: Good Trouble
John Lewis: Good Trouble features music by Maria Thompson Corley, a libretto by Diana Solomon-Glover, and stage direction and dramaturgy by Timothy Douglas. Inspired by the life and legacy of the late Congressman John Lewis, the opera honors his tireless fight for justice and equality as an inspiring champion of civil rights. Commissioned by Cincinnati Opera, the work is the second to be developed through the company’s groundbreaking Black Opera Project and will receive its world premiere at Cincinnati Music Hall during Cincinnati Opera’s 2027 Summer Festival.
Sleepers Awake
In Sleepers Awake, composer Gregory Spears, whose operas Fellow Travelers (2016) and Castor and Patience (2022) were both commissioned and premiered by Cincinnati Opera, creates a labyrinthine soundscape to accompany a dream-like rendering of the fairytale “Sleeping Beauty,” inspired by modernist writer Robert Walser. As the chorus sings itself in and out of slumber, the voices pull us into a liminal space where time is both fractured and cyclical. Conceived with and directed by Jenny Koons, Sleepers Awake was commissioned by Opera Philadelphia, where it will receive its world premiere in April 2026.
Event Information
- Opera Fusion: New Works presents John Lewis: Good Trouble—Saturday, October 11, 2 p.m., Wilks Studio at Cincinnati Music Hall, 1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
- Opera Fusion: New Works presents Sleepers Awake—Saturday, November 8, 2 p.m., Wilks Studio at Cincinnati Music Hall, 1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
- Tickets: $15 for adults; free for full-time students (one ticket per valid student ID)
- Order at cincinnatiopera.org or 513-241-2742
About Opera Fusion: New Works
Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW) is a partnership between Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) dedicated to fostering the development of new American operas. OF:NW offers composers and librettists the opportunity to workshop an opera during a residency in Cincinnati, utilizing the facilities, personnel, and talent of both Cincinnati Opera and CCM. The workshops are cast with a combination of CCM students and professional artists and culminate with a public presentation of excerpts. Opera Fusion: New Works is generously supported by an anonymous donor. For more information, visit ofnw.org.
About CCM
Nationally ranked and internationally renowned, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is a preeminent institution for the performing and media arts. The school’s educational roots date back to 1867, and a solid, visionary instruction has been at its core since that time. CCM offers 10 degree types (BA, BFA, BM, MA, MFA, MM, MME, AD, DMA, PhD) in nearly 120 possible majors, along with a wide variety of pre-collegiate and post-graduate programs and workshops. The college also offers a new graduate certificate in Music Pedagogy and two academic minors (Media Production, Music).
Declared a top college vocal program by Backstage Magazine and described as “one of the continent’s major music schools,” by the Toronto Star, CCM’s Departments of Opera and Voice provide one of the most comprehensive training programs for opera singers, coaches, and directors in the United States. CCM offers an international faculty of dedicated educators who are also celebrated professionals in their own right, widely and currently active in their respective fields. Several national opera companies hold auditions at the conservatory, and CCM students frequently advance to the final rounds of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. CCM graduates have performed on the stages of the world’s greatest opera companies, including Cincinnati Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Royal Opera (London), La Scala (Italy), and more. CCM Voice and Opera program support is provided by the Mellon Foundation for Opera Fusion: New Works, The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, and the Patricia A. Corbett Estate. Additional support for CCM’s undergraduate opera productions is provided by Rafael and Kimberly de Acha. To learn more, visit ccm.uc.edu.
About Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the nation, Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists.
Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. Our programming is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Cincinnati Opera also receives support from The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, and the H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, along with many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Opera Fusion: New Works was originally established through funding from the Mellon Foundation and is currently made possible through generous support from an anonymous donor. The Black Opera Project has been made possible, in part, with support from the Mellon Foundation, Susan and Joseph Pichler, the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, Ann and Harry Santen, and Procter & Gamble. Cincinnati Opera is a member of OPERA America. Learn more: cincinnatiopera.org.
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