We are happy to present this vibrantly dramatic opera by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lang. prisoner of the state tells the story of a woman who disguises herself as a prison guard to rescue her husband from unjust political imprisonment.
The libretto refers to Fidelio, Beethoven’s only opera, and unfolds around the musicians of the orchestra, who are both observers of the story and participants in the prison. David Lang, one of America’s most-performed composers, has long been fascinated by Fidelo, in which the heroism of a woman takes center-stage as it evolves around the themes of oppression, freedom and identity.
prisoner of the state is a co-commission with Malmö Opera, New York Philharmonic, Rotterdam's de Doelen, London's Barbican, Barcelona's l'Auditori, Bochum Symphony Orchestra and Bruges's Concertgebouw. The opera world premiered in June 2019 in New York and received great reviews.
"A dark, seething and engrossing work"
The New York Times
"Lang’s score and the staging…[are] triumphs, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats."
Broadway World
