Conducted by Marshunda Smith, the evening performance presents “The Black Azaleas Song Cycle,” which introduces the group of eco-activists at the core of Post Pardon: The Opera. Featuring local vocalists and musicians, as well as Colby students and faculty, the concert brings this new opera's musical excitement and drama to audiences as a part of the Maine Literary Festival. In collaboration with Colby Arts and funded by the Maine Arts Commission, Post Pardon: The Opera is adapted from professor Arisa White’s eponymous poetry collection, published by Mouthfeel Press in 2011. With music by jazz composer Jessica Jones, the opera draws on African-diasporic spirituality and folklore to tell the story of Willow, a queer Black Azalea confronted with the ghost of her estranged mother.

To learn more about the production, visit postpardon.org.