SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
L

yricist Michael Korie believes
that every new work of art should
speak to the issues of the day but
not in an obvious way.
Composer Ricky Ian Gordon agrees.
Together, they worked that goal
into the development of an opera,
The Grapes of Wrath, based on John
Steinbeck’
s Pulitzer Prize-winning
book, carried into John Ford’
s movie
adaptation, about the plight of
migrant workers.
While the storyline takes place during
the Dust Bowl and Depression of the
1930s, when displaced Oklahoma farm
workers sought daily sustenance and
opportunity in California, the two hope
their musicalized production encourag-
es insight into the desperation and striv-
ings of today’
s migrant workers.
The writing team will be in Detroit
for the technical week and opening of
the opera, running May 11-19 at the
Detroit Opera House. Plans are in the
offing for at least one of the show’
s cre-
ators to hang out in the lobby and talk
to audience members reacting to the
production.
“I like the dawning of awareness,
and I feel that people begin by watch-
ing a work that they think is historical
as it catches up on them that very
little has changed,” says Korie, whose
other projects, with a range of com-
posers, reach from musical theater that
includes Grey Gardens to opera that
includes Harvey Milk.
“Some people respond to the issue
of immigration or a wall. Other people
respond to a sort of hidden power that
runs the system. Others respond to
family tragedies — loss of jobs, loss of
income, loss of hope.
“It’
s all very relatable because [the
characters] are based on real people
whom Steinbeck lived with. He followed
them on the road for years as he kept his
journals.
”
The commission for the opera,
reduced to two acts as presented
by the Opera Theatre of St. Louis,
originally was the idea of Minnesota
Opera. The project launched with
Gordon, who brought in Korie.
Together, they set up some general
ideas, but lyrics preceded music.
“There was a moment in my life
when I suddenly realized I wanted to

Subtle
Parallels

Grapes of Wrath opera
explores plight of migrant
workers in Steinbeck’
s time,
encouraging insight today.

KEN HOWARD

A scene from the opera
Grapes of Wrath

theater
arts&life

continued on page 34

32 May 2 • 2019
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