- FREE Poetry & Music Project Concert
- MAY 7 | 1:00 p.m.
- Benson Theater | This concert will also be live streamed
- Advance registration requested at www.operaomaha.org/poetry
Opera Omaha’s annual Poetry & Music Project culminates May 7 in a live concert presenting the world premiere of the songs inspired by young Nebraska poets, grades 3 —12. Poems were selected from a pool of 134 submissions across 14 Nebraska counties.
This concert presents 15 original pieces with words from students to music by professional composers Gabrielle Herbst and J.E. Hernández. Both are recent alumni of The American Opera Project Composers & the Voice program. In the past few months, poets further developed their pieces in music workshops with the composers by collaborating in the behind-the-scenes artistic process.
The event will be emceed by Zedeka Poindexter, Co-Executive Director of the Nebraska Writers Collective. Completed works will be performed by Opera Omaha artists and students from UNO School of Music. The selected poems include:
“Un Corps” by Addison Bryant, Anselmo-Merna Public School
“I want my voice to be…” by Theodore Bullis, Castle Hill Academy
“Capturing the essence of your voice” by Maggie Dendinger, Cedar Catholic High School
“Not all of us live the same” by Claire Gunn, Gretna Middle School
“You Are Beautiful” by Emma Kaiser, Portal Elementary
“I’ll Grow” by Aarya Khobare, Millard North Middle School
“Voice Emotions” by Makayla Klinefelter, St. John the Baptist School
“I am not Alone” by Lucie Lautenschlager, Palmer Public School
“Untitled” by MaKenna Love, Norfolk Catholic
“Burning Stars” by Athiei Majuec, Logan Fontenelle Middle School
“Joy” by Ava Noecker, Cedar Catholic High School
“Universe’s End” by Kylie Remm, Douglas County West High School
“Sweet Little Lullabies” by Meyiah Sanchez, Omaha Street School
“The Land I Call Home” by Ava Stewart, Cedar Catholic High School
“Love, Heart, Kind” by Kim Valquier, Hayward School
Opera Omaha’s Poetry & Music Project is produced in continued partnership with Nebraska Writers Collective. Additional partners include The American Opera Project, the University of Nebraska – Omaha School of Music, and is supported, in part, by Humanities Nebraska.