Lyric premiere

MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Rhiannon Giddens and celebrated co-composer Michael Abels bring their profoundly moving story of the human spirit to Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Inspired by the memoir of 19th-century Islamic scholar Omar ibn Said, this breathtaking work spins a musical narrative of Omar’s capture in West Africa, journey across the Atlantic Ocean, and enslavement in South Carolina, where he confronts his circumstances and challenges his faith through a series of indelible writings.

Director Kaneza Schaal’s austere, impactful presentation foregrounds Giddens and Abels’ Pulitzer Prize-winning score — a tapestry of musical traditions weaving together hymns, spirituals, and bluegrass — to tell a fundamentally American story.