True Crime Opera EVERLASTING FAINT To Have World Premiere At Madison Opera

Madison Opera will continue its 2025–2026 season with the world premiere of EVERLASTING FAINT, a new opera with music by Scott Gendel and libretto by Sandra Flores-Strand. Performances will take place February 13 at 7:30 p.m. and February 15 at 2:30 p.m. at the Capitol Theater.

Based on the true story of the Greenbrier Ghost, Everlasting Faint is set in 1897 in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, where a young woman named Elva is found dead in her home. After her husband refuses to allow a medical examination, the death is ruled an “everlasting faint.” Elva’s mother, Mary Heaster, rejects the verdict, and when her daughter’s ghost begins appearing to her, Mary sets out to uncover the truth behind the death—leading to a historic murder trial believed to be the only case in U.S. history in which testimony from a ghost contributed to a conviction.

The opera was written by Madison-based artists Gendel and Flores-Strand and workshopped at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2023. The score blends folk-inspired choruses, arias, ensembles, and atmospheric textures as a rural Appalachian community grapples with violence, faith, and justice.

“This world premiere marks an important moment for Madison Opera,” said General Director Kathryn Smith. “Scott’s music and Sandra’s storytelling create a gripping theatrical experience, and we are proud to bring this new work to the stage.”