NEW – Murasaki’s Moon

Libretto by Deborah Brevoort; Music by Michi Wiancko.

An opera for audiences of all ages, inspired by the life and work of Lady Murasaki, author of The Tale of Genji, the world’s first novel. The sequestered life of a lady-in-waiting in the Imperial Court of 11th century Japan feels suffocating to the imaginative yet introspective Lady Murasaki. To escape the boundaries of the Emperor’s palace, she begins to write an epic tale of love and freedom. Murasaki’s life in the palace helps to shape the world of her novel, The Tale of Genji, which catapults her to fame, yet creates tension within the palace. MURASAKI’S MOON tells the story of her struggle to find a balance between the relationships with those around her, the characters she creates, and the far-reaching impact of her writing.

Commissioned by On Site Opera, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and American Lyric Theater.

“Murasaki’s Moon is an operatic experience unmatched anywhere else in the city.”   —Superconductor

“Murasaki’s Moon has much to say about our modern world…[the authors create a] deeply appealing and dramatically consistent musical world.”  –Blog Critics Review

“An enchanting and accessible introduction to this ancient work and its author, with an uplifting feminist slant.”  —Classical Voice America

“A feminist spin on The Tale of Genji’s author, Murasaki Shikibu.”   —Wall Street Journal

“Brevoort successfully captured the essence of The Tale of Genji (which spans 1100 pages and 54 chapters) in a libretto for a chamber opera with only three roles.”  —Seen & Heard International