News
World premiere of ‘Sleepers Awake’. An opera by Opera Philadelphia, 22–26 April 2026.
22–26 April 2006, Academy of Music, Opera Philadelphia
Link to the event.
With *Sleepers Awake*, Opera Philadelphia presents a fascinating world premiere that transports the audience into a dreamlike world between reality and fantasy. The work by composer Gregory Spears, whose music has been described by the New York Times as ‘astonishingly beautiful’ and by The New Yorker as ‘cool and enchanting’, is based on a modern interpretation of the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. Inspired by the writings of Robert Walser, Spears creates a sonic labyrinthine world that transports the audience into a state between sleep and wakefulness.
The focus of the production is not on a single voice, but on the Opera Philadelphia Chorus, which sings itself into and out of sleep. The voices draw the audience into a liminal space where time appears both fragmented and cyclical. The production, conceived and directed by Jenny Koons, promises a visually breathtaking experience that questions the collective experience of dream and reality. The musical direction is in the hands of Corrado Rovaris.
The production blends contemporary music with literary influences, creating a unique and thought-provoking experience. Sleepers Awake is not merely an opera, but an invitation to explore the boundaries between dream and reality – in a way that is visually and acoustically striking.
Link to the event.
With *Sleepers Awake*, Opera Philadelphia presents a fascinating world premiere that transports the audience into a dreamlike world between reality and fantasy. The work by composer Gregory Spears, whose music has been described by the New York Times as ‘astonishingly beautiful’ and by The New Yorker as ‘cool and enchanting’, is based on a modern interpretation of the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. Inspired by the writings of Robert Walser, Spears creates a sonic labyrinthine world that transports the audience into a state between sleep and wakefulness.
The focus of the production is not on a single voice, but on the Opera Philadelphia Chorus, which sings itself into and out of sleep. The voices draw the audience into a liminal space where time appears both fragmented and cyclical. The production, conceived and directed by Jenny Koons, promises a visually breathtaking experience that questions the collective experience of dream and reality. The musical direction is in the hands of Corrado Rovaris.
The production blends contemporary music with literary influences, creating a unique and thought-provoking experience. Sleepers Awake is not merely an opera, but an invitation to explore the boundaries between dream and reality – in a way that is visually and acoustically striking.