The Song Poet

March 9–26, 2023

MUSIC BY JOCELYN HAGEN
LIBRETTO BY KAO KALIA YANG 

A father’s love, a family’s journey.
The first Hmong story adapted for the operatic stage, St. Paul writer Kao Kalia Yang’s memoir The Song Poet comes to life in this world premiere. It tells the story of Yang’s family and her song poet father as war drives them from the mountains of Laos into a Thai refugee camp and ultimately on to the challenging world of life as a refugee. With his poetry, Kalia’s father inspires hope in his family, polishing their reality so that they might shine. 

Sung in English and Hmong with English and Hmong captions projected above the stage.

Health and Safety Protocols
Accessibility Services

Location

Luminary Arts Center
700 North First Street
Minneapolis, MN 55401

The Song Poet is brought to you by a collaboration between Minnesota Opera and Theater Mu.

Cast & Creative Team

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Synopsis

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Act One

Bee has run away once again into the beloved mountains that surround his village after the death of a friend by gunfire. War planes zoom overhead. He climbs the tallest tree he can find …

Composer Biography

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Jocelyn Hagen is a pioneer in the field of composition, pushing the expectations of musicians and audiences with large-scale multimedia works, electro-acoustic music, dance…

MN Opera Chorus

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Get to know members of the Minnesota Opera Chorus who you’ll see in our upcoming production of The Song Poet.

Director's Notes

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To begin, Kao Kalia Yang is a brilliant writer and I feel fortunate to be the stage director for the world premiere of this opera based upon her book The Song Poet

Meet the Artists

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We are excited to have Museop Kim and Corissa Bussian join us as Bee Yang and Chue Moua (Bee’s wife) in this production…

Costume Design

Khamphian Vang
Khamphian Vang

Costume Design

Khamphian Vang
Khamphian Vang

Costume Design

Khamphian Vang
Khamphian Vang

Costume Design

Khamphian Vang
Khamphian Vang

Costume Design

Khamphian Vang
Khamphian Vang

Costume Design

Khamphian Vang
Khamphian Vang

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