Come As You Are

FESTIVAL

Welcome to The Atlanta Opera’s Come As You Are Festival at Pullman Yards.

The driving force behind the Come As You Are Festival is to create a sense of openness and welcome. As an art form, opera has changed and evolved over its 400-year history, and as we come out of the pandemic, The Atlanta Opera remains as committed as ever to innovating and bringing new experiences to Atlanta audiences. Our residency at Pullman Yards this June is part of the 10year journey of the opera’s Discoveries series, which brings performances of contemporary opera to unexpected locations in neighborhoods throughout our region. Cabaret and As One are fantastic examples of contemporary theatrical works that address the ugliness of labeling people as “others.” As we gather together in this unexpected place to enjoy art together, we urge you to take your exploration even further.

The Atlanta Opera has been proud to partner with Out Front Theatre Company, Out on Film, and The Atlanta Pride Committee for a series of Community Programs in May and June that celebrate gender expression and identity through art. We had fun at a screening of the 1972 Cabaret in May, and delved into meaningful discussions about art and queer identity at Out Front Theatre on May 17 (you can view the panel discussion at stream.atlantaopera.org). On June 13, we urge you to join us at a film screening of The Sound of Identity, featuring As One’s Lucia Lucas. The filmmakers will be in attendance, and we are grateful to Out Front Theatre Company for being our host throughout the festival.

Lucia Lucas is playing Hannah in The Atlanta Opera’s production of As One, and it will be the first time she has ever played a transgender character on stage. Lucia is a proud “heldenbaritonisten” and speaks openly of her journey as a transgender woman in opera. The Sound Of Identity is a unique, history making, feature length documentary. It features the first ever transgender woman performing an opera lead in the U.S. with a professional company, in a standard work. And, it happened in Tulsa. Playing Don Giovanni, Lucia Lucas breaks archaic social barriers, making way for other trans opera performers. The New York Times says “...as her booming, powerful baritone ricocheted off the walls, Ms. Lucas, 38, became the (Don Giovanni) character...” The Guardian calls Ms. Lucas “a rising star” while the San Francisco Chronicle says while she “boasts a robust, flexible baritone… these (the) roles open up new dramatic vistas.”

Lucia will join filmmaker James Kicklighter and Executive Producer Andy Kinslow for a talkback following the screening. Hosted by Out Front Theatre, this is the third and final event in the Come As You Are series of events.

The event is FREE. Registration is required at outfronttheatre.com.