Cincinnati Opera Announces U.S. Premiere of “Another Brick in The Wall-The Opera”

Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera, today announced that Cincinnati Opera will present the United States premiere of Another Brick in the Wall-The Opera, based on Roger Waters‘s legendary album The Wall, in celebration of the company’s return to Cincinnati Music Hall for its 2018 Summer Festival. The production, scheduled for July 2018, will close Cincinnati Opera’s 98th season, its first to be held at Music Hall following the building’s $135 million revitalization.

With original words and music by Roger Waters, the operatic version of Another Brick in the Wall-The Opera is composed by Julien Bilodeau and brought to life through the concept and stage direction of Dominic Champagne. Another Brick in the Wall-The Opera completely transforms Roger Waters’s original work into a standard operatic form, with eight soloists, 48 chorus members, and a 70-piece orchestra.

Another Brick in the Wall-The Opera is a genuine opera, not a ‘rock opera’–there’s nary a drum set or electric guitar to be heard,” said Mirageas. “It will sound breathtaking in the renovated Music Hall with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in the pit.”

Cincinnati Opera is a co-producer of the opera with Productions Opéra Concept M.P., Inc., led by executive director Pierre Dufour. Another Brick in the Wall-The Opera will receive its world premiere on March 11, 2017 at the Opéra de Montréal in Québec, Canada. The opera has already proven to be tremendously popular. Though seven performances were originally announced, to meet an unprecedented demand for tickets the company has since expanded to a run of ten performances.

Reprising their world premiere performances, both conductor Alain Trudel and baritone Etienne Dupuis, who will create the leading role of the fallen rock star Pink, will return for the Cincinnati Opera production. Set design is by Stéphane Roy, with costumes by Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt. The video designer is Johnny Ranger, and the lighting design is by Étienne Boucher.

“There is no question about the melodies; they are pre-existing and famous,” said Mirageas. “The discovery is how those melodies have been transformed into genuine ‘opera speak.’ I am excited that we are contributing to the birth of this new work as a co-producer and that we will present the U.S. premiere in Cincinnati.”

“It is with great pride that we welcome Cincinnati Opera as co-producer and as the first U.S. presenter of this outstanding opera,” said Pierre Dufour, executive director of Productions Opéra Concept M.P. “To create a good opera, you first need a moving story, and that is exactly what we have in the concept album of The Wall. Cincinnati Opera’s audience will be the first to discover a new dimension of this legendary work.”

“Participating in the creation of this world premiere has been a labor of love,” said Opéra de Montréal Artistic Director Michel Beaulac. “How fitting that Cincinnati Opera should celebrate the re-opening of their opera house with this epic work, since Another Brick in the Wall is the cultural cornerstone of Montréal’s 375th Anniversary Celebrations. We are thrilled to see this project, created in Montréal, demonstrate our city’s creativity and talent beyond our borders.”

Single tickets for the U.S. premiere of Another Brick in the Wall-The Opera will be available in a limited engagement presale, with details to be announced at a later date. To receive the latest news and ticket sale information, sign up at www.cincinnatiopera.org/the-wall.