a lesbian abortion drama — one-act chamber opera (2020).
Music by LORI LAITMAN
Libretto by LEAH LAX
Dramaturgy by BETH GREENBERG
Uncovered is the story of Leah, a young lesbian who is drawn to the spiritual promises of the ultra-orthodox Hasidim, a Jewish sect. She defies her family, and hiding her true self, enters an arranged marriage. The couple raises seven children in lockstep with the Hasidic community. But when exhausted Leah becomes pregnant again, she feels driven to abort her baby, certain that otherwise she won’t survive. Afterwards, changed, she finds love with a woman. This timely opera that confronts fundamentalism and a woman’s right to choose is based on Leah Lax’s memoir Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home.
The work is scored for 8 singers and chorus, accompanied by clarinet, violin, cello and piano. It has an approximate running time of 90 minutes.
The opera was commissioned by Utah State University in Logan, UT, City Lyric Opera of NYC, and The New York Opera Society. The premiere took place March 31, 2022 at The Caine Lyric Theater in Logan, UT with The USU Opera Theatre, in a production directed by Beth Greenberg and conducted by Dallas Heaton. The NYC premiere was in November 2022 with City Lyric Opera at the Here Arts Center in NYC.
Please see my Opera Catalog for more information and to view archival video. To purchase scores of the arias, please see the Arias page.
Please contact me directly if you are interested in producing this work.
The opera was a finalist for the 2018 Dominic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition Prize at SUNY Potsdam.