Shizue: An American Story
Presented by Portland Opera To Go & Hosted By Imagine Theatre
|
When: October 25th, 6:30pm Where: Oak Grove United Methodist Church
Cost: Free For All! Length: 50 Minutes, No Intermission, Talk-back afterwards. Ages: Written for students 4th grade and up, but easily enjoyed by all ages. Language: Performed in English Resources: |
Overview:
Portland Opera is proud to present the next installment of the Our Oregon Project, Shizue: An American Story. This opera illuminates the remarkable life of Shizue Iwatsuki. Born to a wealthy Japanese family and trained in the arts of poetry and ikebana, she marries Kamegoro and emigrates to his orchard in Hood River. Like thousands of other Japanese Americans, she experiences both hope and horror in her new home—from the luscious taste of fresh strawberries to the injustice of America’s incarceration camps. Through it all, Shizue rises above and reaches beyond, embodying the concept of gaman, which means “enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity.” Portland Opera’s Our Oregon Project commissions youth operas that highlight the experiences of Oregonians through a variety of lenses. This unique multi-year project began in 2022 with Beatrice, a 50-minute youth opera inspired by the life and story of civil rights activist Beatrice Morrow Cannady. The series will continue with operas about Latinx and Native Oregonian heroes. After this world premiere, Shizue: An American Story will embark on a multi-city tour. 
|
