“Sanctuary Road” director Kimille Howard (Photo courtesy Virginia Opera)
Virginia Opera’s “Sanctuary Road,” directed by Kimille Howard, sits at the intersection of meticulous record-keeping and a life-or-death secret.
The oratorio, composed by Pulitzer Prize-winner Paul Moravec, revisits the writings of William Still, who guided nearly 800 enslaved people to freedom via the Underground Railroad while documenting their escapes. These stories take on added gravity, given Richmond’s role in the events described, and added depth, with the Virginia Opera’s new staging, costumes and scenery.
“Opera has an incredible platform in all its grandeur and spectacle,” Virginia Opera Artistic Director Adam Turner says. “With all of the relevance, with all of the eye-opening that has taken place in the last few years — to give these stories a platform on the operatic stage is an incredible opportunity.”
The opera is presented at the Dominion Energy Center at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9 and at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 11. Tickets start at $20.
