a new one-act chamber opera
Music by LORI LAITMAN
Libretto by LEAH LAX
Director: BETH GREENBERG
Uncovered examines one woman’s secret life in a restrictive society and the consequences of living a lie. Against her family’s wishes, Leah, a young lesbian, joins the Hasidim, an ultra-orthodox Jewish sect. In her desire for inclusion and serenity, she hides her true self, enters an arranged marriage and bears seven children. Then she faces a crisis that changes everything. The opera is based on Leah Lax’s memoir Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home.
INSTRUMENTATION:
clarinet, violin, cello and piano
The opera was a finalist for the 2018 Dominic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition Prize. To view the first scene (unrevised) as performed by the students and faculty of SUNY Purchase, please click here. Leah and I speak a bit about the opera starting at 48:52 and the music starts at 57:12.
The expected length is about 70 minutes. I have put together a consortium of universities and small opera companies and expect to finish the work for a spring 2021 premiere. If you are interested in co-commissioning, please email me at lori@artsongs.com for more information.