Night Trip

Music by Carlos Simon
Libretto by Sandra Seaton

Saturday, December 11 at 7:30 pm EST

Streamed live online

Run time: 20 minutes

Language: English with English subtitles

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For Some, The Road Is A Dangerous Place

Opera NexGen returns for a second season with Night Trip, a gripping new one-act opera from composer Carlos Simon and librettist Sandra Seaton.

Originally commissioned by Washington National Opera for their American Opera Initiative, Night Trip takes place in 1958 and follows Conchetta, a young Black girl, as she joins her WWII veteran uncles on the road for a trip to visit family. Conchetta is soon faced with a new reality as her dreams collide with harsh truths that will change the way she sees her world.

This one-night-only performance of Night Trip will be streamed live, running approximately 20 minutes with no intermission. Following the performance, there will be a talkback with librettist Sandra Seaton, and the cast and creative team.

Synopsis

Post-WWII, two veterans drive to pick up their niece, Conchetta, to go to a family reunion. The uncles regale her and each other with tales of the "good ole days" in the military before stopping for gas in Indiana which leads to an altercation about who can use the restroom and the uncles driving away without paying. Policemen quickly catch up to the car and Conchetta tries to stop the arguing by offering her food. One of the uncles deflects by giving the policemen the money they had in the car, and the officers drive away leaving an emotional mark on young Conchetta.

This production contains adult content including language, discussion of war, guns, and thematic elements of racially motivated police violence.