THE FAIR AT SOROCHYNTSI To Have World Premiere at Independent Opera Company

Independent Opera Company (IOC) will open its 14th season this November with a landmark event: the U.S. premiere of Modest Mussorgsky’s rarely performed opera The Fair at Sorochyntsi.

Brimming with humor, romance, and folk-inspired melodies, The Fair at Sorochyntsi captures the color and vitality of village life, weaving together young love, mischief, and mystery. The score features some of Mussorgsky’s most charming music and even includes the famous Night on Bald Mountain. Though left unfinished at the composer’s death, the opera was later completed in a version faithful to his original vision. Widely performed abroad, this will mark its long-awaited American debut.

IOC Artistic Director Galina Barskaya noted that the company believes this will be the opera’s first U.S. performance. “We are especially excited to present this work, as it serves as a cultural bridge between Russian and Ukrainian traditions,” she said. “Some of the opera sounds more Ukrainian than Russian, which makes it particularly meaningful to share it now.”

The cast will feature Phil Meyer, Alexis Wesley, Jessica Berns, David Ingram, Timothy Simon, Ethan Miller, Alex Perkins, Niko Murakami (cover), and Chester Roi Perez-Bingham (cover). The IOC Chorus includes Chelsy Cordon, Maureen Mihalik, Niko Murakami, Bianca Galicia, and Laura Jackson. The production is directed by Liza Barskaya with music direction by Galina Barskaya.