My Name is Florence
World Premiere
Saturday, January 31 at 7:30pm
Thursday, February 5 at 7:30pm
Saturday, February 7 at 7:30pm
Sunday, February 8 at 2pm
A Minnesota Opera New Works Initiative Production
MUSIC BY B.E. BOYKIN
LIBRETTO HARRISON DAVID RIVERS
Who was Florence Price, beyond the music? Prolific American composer Florence Price made history as the first Black woman to have a symphony performed by a major U.S. orchestra. My Name is Florence, a world premiere from MN Opera’s New Works Initiative, was inspired by writings and correspondence unearthed in the backyard of her family home. Composed by B.E. Boykin to a libretto by Harrison David Rivers, the opera presents vignettes from Price’s life that bring into focus the impact of family, legacy, and the transformative power of a seat at the piano. With warmth and humor, My Name is Florence explores the complexities of identity, generational connection, and ultimately the power of music to transform. It is a celebration of Price’s enduring legacy in music and a reclamation of the space she occupies within the American musical canon.
Estimated Run Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Sung in English with English captions projected above the stage.
Location
Ordway Music Theater
345 Washington St
St Paul, MN 55102
Presented by
Marcia J. Aubineau
Barry Berg and Walter Tambor
Alan and Kathlyn Boykin
Mikalia Bradberry, in memory of Angel Bradberry
Lisa Butcher, in memory of Connie Cameron
Janelle Erickson and Gary Tassone
Erin Flannery and Ryan Weston, in honor of Siena Forest
Siena Forest
Anne Grosse and Trevor Franda
Kajsa Jones-Higgins
Jenny Kelley, in memory of Kathryn Hennig
Susan and Mark Leppke
Kristin and Jim Matejcek
Kenny Piatt
Barton and Kimberly Reed
Emily Skoblik-Diallo and Samballa Diallo, in honor of Siena Forest
Kelsey Sorenson
William White
Lani Willis and Joel Spoonheim
Eric Wolf
RELATED EVENTS
CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM HIGHLIGHTS
View MoreComposer Biography
Learn MoreB.E. Boykin
B.E. (Brittney Elizabeth) Boykin is a distinguished composer, conductor and pianist, renowned for her dynamic artistry and profound contributions to the world of music…
Librettist Biography
Read MoreHarrison David Rivers
Harrison David Rivers is an award-winning playwright, librettist and television writer based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Harrison’s works include Straddle (Diversionary), we are continuous…
SYNOPSIS
READ MORELittle Rock, Arkansas, 1900 – Florence Beatrice (Beatrice) practices the piano under the watchful eye of her mother – who is also named Florence. Later, Beatrice’s father distracts her from her lessons with a game of “what could you not live without?” … Beatrice replies that she could not live without music.
Director's Note
READ MOREEboni Adams
My journey into opera has felt like walking toward a door I didn’t know was opening — or one I wasn’t sure I was allowed to walk through. Being chosen, or better yet, gifted, the opportunity to bring to life a story inspired by the remarkable legacy of Florence Price…
Blog: Behind the Seams
READ MOREDesigning My Name is Florence
Follow Costume Director Corinna Bakken travels to New York City to find the fabrics that best capture the story of My Name is Florence, collaborating with Costume Designer Trevor Bowen.
The Visual World
VIEW MOREEarly Set Renderings & Costume Designs
Enjoy a sneak peek into the striking and evocative visual world of My Name is Florence with slideshows of early set renderings and costume designs from designers Eli Sherlock and Trevor Bowen.
A Closer Look
VIEW MOREInterviews with creators B.E. Boykin & Harrison David Rivers
View and read behind the scenes interviews with New Works Initiative cohort members B.E. Boykin and Harrison David Rivers as they discuss the inspiration and process that led to their opera My Name is Florence, the significance of it’s namesake, and more.
Building Florence's Piano
Read moreWith less than a month before the world premiere of My Name is Florence, go behind the scenes to see how the scene shop brings the production to life. The piano sits at the center of the story, an homage to American composer Florence Price’s music and lifelong relationship with playing the instrument…