Opera Orlando Unveils Cast of THE SECRET RIVER at Mead Botanical Garden

Opera Orlando will remount its first commissioned opera, THE SECRET RIVER, March 6 and 7 at Mead Botanical Garden’s Grove Stage. The site-specific presentation marks a return for the work, which is based on the Newbery Honor Award-winning book by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. The opera features music by Orlando composer Stella Sung and a libretto by Mark Campbell.

“As part of our 10th Anniversary season, we are thrilled to bring back The Secret River, which was a Company favorite for so many of our audience members and education partners,” said Opera Orlando General Director Gabriel Preisser. “We could not think of a better place to present it than Mead Botanical Garden, which served as the location for the piano workshop of The Secret River back in 2021. The outdoor setting fits perfectly as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings inspired children’s book is set in the backwoods of Florida. It also allows families to bring their blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy opera outdoors.”

The cast includes soprano Sabrina Langlois making her company debut as Calpurnia and soprano Renée Richardson making her company debut as Cassandra. Bass-baritone Lloyd Reshard returns as Augustus, and mezzo-soprano Kimberly Hernández reprises her role as Mother Albirtha, which she originated in 2021. Soprano Amy Cofield appears as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.

Langlois has performed in premieres including Kay Rhie’s Quake, Richard Danielpour’s The Grand Hotel Tartarus, and Omar with LA Opera, in addition to roles such as Despina in Così fan tutte, Anne Trulove in The Rake’s Progress, and Adina in L’elisir d’amore. Richardson recently completed a residency with the Houston Grand Opera Butler Studio and has appeared as Mimì in La Bohème at Madison Opera, the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro at Pensacola Opera, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte at Wolf Trap Opera, and Annina in La traviata at Houston Grand Opera.

Reshard has appeared in several Opera Orlando productions, including Tosca, Carmen, All is Calm, and most recently Beatrice + Benedict / Cavalleria Rusticana. Hernández has previously been seen with the company as Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana and Lily in Porgy and Bess. Cofield returns after appearing as Minnie in the company’s site-specific production of The Girl of the Golden West, with additional credits including New York City Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Teatro Lirico d’Europa, and Knoxville Opera.

The production will be conducted by Karl Van Richards of Bethune-Cookman University, with stage direction by Ayòfémi Jeriah Demps and choreography by Maxine Montilus, who also choreographed the 2021 world premiere. The performance will feature members of the Opera Orlando Youth Company, dancers from Inez Patricia School of Dance, and puppetry originally created by MicheLee Puppets, now Orlando Family Stage.

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