Phoenix Park (A Poet’s Journey)

Phoenix Park (A Poet’s Journey) is set in Dublin, Ireland, and in the realm of the imagination. The time is 1930-1955 and all the years between, with flashbacks interspersed. The hero, beset in boyhood by his parents’ conflicting desires and dreams for him, finds solace as an adult in writing poetry and in the bottle. He seeks a balance between the pleasures and obligations of his family life and his overwhelming need to submerge himself in his art.

Tom O’Horgan directs the world premiere of this chamber opera, which features music by David Strickland, a libreto by Ilsa Gilbert, and music direction by Mimi-Stern-Wolfe. Featuring eight vocalists and a twelve-piece orchestra that utilizes original Irish instruments such as uillean pipes, Irish flutes, and percussion.