Lyric Opera presents Omar, a Pulitzer Prize-winning work on an enslaved scholar

Lyric Opera presents Omar, an opera that won the Pulitzer Prize in 2022, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 28, at the Lyric Opera House at 20 N. Wacker. The performance is the first of a new production of the work, which is cocomposed by musician Rhiannon Giddens and Emmy-nominated composer Michael Abels. Tickets are available for prices ranging from $85 to $309, and the opera is performed in English with projected English titles.

The piece is based on the memoir of Omar ibn Said, a West African intellectual and spiritualist. In the narrative, Said is enslaved in the Carolinas after being taken from his home as a respected scholar. He maintains his faith by praying, singing, and writing notes to Allah in Arabic, a practice that confuses his captors. They attempt to convert him to Christianity, arguing he worships the wrong God, but he continues to use his native language to pray and write.

Issachah Savage, a tenor, plays the role of Omar in the Lyric production. Mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams portrays Fatima, Omar's mother. Soprano Kearstin Piper Brown plays Julie, another enslaved woman who encourages Omar to write a book. The musical score combines bluegrass, Arabic hymns, and choral chants.

Omar ibn Said's memoir was held in private collections before the Library of Congress acquired it. The story challenges the notion that African people arrived in the United States without culture, religion, language, or education. The opera presents him as a Muslim scholar who resisted silencing through unshakeable faith.

The production addresses themes of faith and resistance. The music structure serves as a vehicle for the narrative, moving from the scholarly life of the protagonist to his experience in captivity. The cast delivers the story through the specific musical elements that define the work.

Audiences can find the opera at lyricopera.org or by calling 312-827-5600. The performance takes place in the main hall of the Lyric Opera House. The work is described by its creators and critics as a stirring depiction of an individual who would not be silenced despite his circumstances.