commission of our newest opera for Project Opera, our premier youth training program. Based on The Song Poet, a novel by Minnesota native and Hmong-American author Kao Kalia Yang, the opera recounts her family’s journey from Laos to the United States. “I believe this opera will push the boundaries of the form and the dreams of my people and new Americans everywhere who live and love the arts in a positive and necessary direction,” says Yang. The Song Poet will continue its development throughout the next two seasons, with a premiere date set for spring 2021. We’re excited to continue to make strides in this work. For the past two years, our staff and board have participated in a series of intercultural capacity
Kao Kalia Yang courtesy of the Artist
workshops and coachings. In March 2019, we had the honor of hosting a summit with representatives from opera companies from around the country to discuss how we can better incorporate the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion into our work as an industry. “There are so many practical and financial reasons to do this work. But above all else, it’s simply the right thing to do,” says Rocky Jones, MN Opera Communications Manager and Diversity Council Chair. “I’m hopeful that MN Opera will be a catalyst for positive change in our industry and for justice in our community.” To read our Diversity Charter and learn more about how we are putting our principles into practice, please visit mnopera.org/edi.
Opera 360 Diversity Work Group
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