The Grapes of Wrath (opera)

The Grapes of Wrath is an opera in three acts composed by Ricky Ian Gordon to a libretto by Michael Korie based on John Steinbeck’s 1939 novel of the same title. It premiered on February 10, 2007 at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Saint Paul, Minnesota in a production by Minnesota Opera. The work has been revised in subsequent years and has also been performed as a two-act concert version.

Originally commissioned by the Minnesota Opera and co-produced with Utah Symphony – Utah Opera, the Minnesota Opera production had its premiere February 10, 2007, at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Saint Paul, Minnesota conducted by Grant Gershon. The world premiere broadcast was heard on Minnesota Public Radio on September 19, 2007. Utah Symphony – Utah Opera subsequently performed the work (in a modified version) on May 12–20, 2007, at the Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City. A revised version of the opera was performed by Pittsburgh Opera in November, 2008. Its collegiate premiere was performed at the Moores School of Music of the University of Houston in April, 2009. A greatly revised concert version of the opera (in two acts) was given its New York premiere by The Collegiate Chorale at Carnegie Hall on March 22, 2010, with Ted Sperling conducting the American Symphony Orchestra and a narration performed by Jane Fonda. In April 2011, the Opera was presented by the Michigan State University College of Music Opera Theater, directed by Melanie Helton and conducted by Raphael Jimenez. This performance was in collaboration with Gordan's residency at Michigan State. In February 2013, the opera found its Chicago premiere at Northwestern University through the Bienen School of Music. The production was directed by Michael Ehrman, conducted by Hal France, and featured guest baritone Robert Orth reprising his role of Uncle John, which he sang with the premiere cast in 2007.Opera Theatre of St. Louis premiered a reduced, two-act version of the opera in May 2017. For this new version, the composer said that he went for "a more cinematic approach" and "even wrote some new music."

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