“The goal of everything I’ve ever written bends toward what’s going to happen on stage with The Snowy Day, where a little Black boy can wander in the snow, learn about himself, learn about the world, be safe, be happy, and connect with others regardless of background, or ethnicity, or any other differences,” says Joel Thompson, composer of The Snowy Day. Joel Thompson’s musical genius brings it all alive.” “The Snowy Day brings a vivid dimension to opera by expanding the canvas on Ezra Jack Keats’ classic, while, at the same time, honoring Keats’ artistic intention – to invite diverse audiences into a vibrant storytelling experience.
“I’m grateful to be among such a brilliant team of creators,” says librettist Andrea Davis Pinkney. In the summer of 2017, Summers recruited brilliant young composer Joel Thompson for the project, knowing he would be the perfect fit to breathe new life into the story of Peter. Pinkney, who in 2016 had authored A Poem for Peter, an homage to Keats and the legacy of Peter, signed on to adapt the story for the stage.
Deborah Pope, Executive Director of the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, came on board, and she put bestselling author Andrea Davis Pinkney’s name forward as a potential librettist during the preliminary stages of the opera’s creation. The idea for an opera based on the book began to take form after soprano Julia Bullock brought the idea to HGO Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers six years ago. The Snowy Day marks HGO's 71st world premiere. He sets off to explore, getting into adventures and learning lessons along the way.
Both book and opera recount the adventures of young Peter after he wakes up to the first snow of winter-the first winter when his parents have promised to let him play in the snow by himself. Written in 1962 and awarded the Caldecott medal in 1963, The Snowy Day broke the color barrier in mainstream publishing by being embraced across ethnic and social lines. Created by composer Joel Thompson and librettist Andrea Davis Pinkney, The Snowy Day is based on the classic children’s book by Ezra Jack Keats. Houston Grand Opera presents the highly anticipated world premiere of The Snowy Day December 9th through 19th at Houston’s Wortham Theater Center.
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