The Summer King at Portland Ovations

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2. The Summer King

A Portland Ovations’ commission and world premiere, The Summer King is a new American opera by Maine –based composer Daniel Sonenberg, who co-wrote the libretto with poet Daniel Nester. Presented in concert form, The Summer King considers the legacy of Negro League baseball player Josh Gibson. A hulking catcher, Gibson’s prodigious talent with a bat earned him the moniker “the black Babe Ruth,” and secured him a spot as the second Negro League ballplayer ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The opera portrays the injustice Gibson suffered at the hands of baseball’s “Gentlemen’s Agreement” and also the thriving culture, characterized by black-owned teams, stadiums and taverns, nightlife and humor.