Roberta Gumbel News

Union Avenue Opera will launch its first-ever One-Act Festival, a bold new fall initiative that brings two powerful contemporary operas to the stage: As One and dwb (driving while black). 

Union Avenue Opera will present its inaugural One-Act Festival October 10–12, 2025, featuring dwb (driving while black) and As One. Both contemporary works explore themes of identity, injustice, and transformation, followed by audience talk-backs with artists and guests.

Union Avenue Opera will close its 31st Festival Season with Richard Strauss’ explosive masterwork Salome, presented August 15, 16, 22, and 23 at 8:00 p.m. at Union Avenue Christian Church in St. Louis.

Union Avenue Opera will continue its 2025 Festival Season with a compelling double bill that explores identity, performance, and emotional truth: Tom Cipullo’s Josephine and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci.

OPERA America has announced the first-round recipients of the 2023 Opera Grants for Women Stage Directors and Conductors. 

George Bailey, Clarence, and the Bedford Falls community will come to life at Portland Center Stage this holiday season, in a fresh, inventive reimagining of the beloved holiday story. It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play will begin preview performances on November 19, open on November 25, and run through December 24 on the U.S. Bank Main Stage. Tickets are on sale now.

Des Moines Metro Opera's General and Artistic Director, Michael Egel, has announced the complete repertory for the company's 2023 Festival Season.

On the heels of a successful opening weekend and rave reviews for live productions of Rossini's Otello and Toshio Hosokawa's The Raven, Opera Philadelphia's Festival O continues this week with the first Opera on Film series, featuring more than 30 cinematic operas presented in 12 screenings at the Philadelphia Film Center.

Karen Slack has announced her 2022-2023 season, featuring an expansive range of programming spanning the recital, orchestral, and operatic worlds.

Sono Luminus announces the September 24, 2021 release of Resonance Lines from cellist Hannah Collins. Making her label debut with this album, Collins created a tribute to people with whom she has had inspiring interpersonal connections, celebrating the rich collaborative worlds that lead to these works which are performed alone.

See the newly released video for 'My Beautiful Brown Boy' from dwb (driving while black).

The title and content of this filmed opera reminded me of a friend with a young biracial relative. Whenever he ventures out, whether by foot or car, his mother provides him with a letter explaining who he is and asserting that his purpose is benevolent in case the police may approach him.

UrbanArias has announced the premiere of driving While Black, a filmed version of Susan Kander and Roberta Gumbel's opera about the tales, traumas, and triumphs of Black motherhood.

Baruch Performing Arts Center and Opera Omaha present the virtual, directed-for-video premiere of dwb (driving while black) from October 23, 2020 at 9:00am ET through October 29, 2020 at 9:00pm ET.

Baruch Performing Arts Center and Opera Omaha present the virtual, directed-for-video premiere of dwb (driving while black) from October 23, 2020 at 9:00am ET through October 29, 2020 at 9:00pm ET.

Baruch Performing Arts Center and Opera Omaha present the virtual, directed-for-video premiere of dwb (driving while black) from October 23, 2020 at 9:00am ET through October 29, 2020 at 9:00pm ET. Tickets are pay-what-you-can and can be purchased via the BPAC portal here.

Baruch Performing Arts Center presents the New York premiere of dwb (driving while black) from March 19-21, 2020 at 7:30 pm at Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue (25th Street between Third and Lexington Avenues), NYC. Tickets are $16-$36 and can be purchased online at https://ci.ovationtix.com/1091/production/1014628.

Baruch Performing Arts Center presents the New York premiere of dwb (driving while black) from March 19-21, 2020 at Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue (25th Street between Third and Lexington Avenues), NYC. Tickets are $16-$36 and can be purchased online at https://ci.ovationtix.com/1091/production/1014628.

Baruch Performing Arts Center at Baruch College announces its 2019-20 Season of music, theatre, dance, opera and more, a season spanning genres and cultural influences, rich in imagination and ideas.

Matt Cavenaugh, Kate Shindle, Jenny Powers, Amy Justman and Felicity Claire will perform in 'Little Theater, Big Dreams' May 10. The cabaret performance will benefit arts programming at the West Side YMCA.