Riders of the Purple Sage: Meet Jane
Schmopera
We spoke with sopranos Laura Wilde and Karin Wolverton, who share the role of Jane Withersteen, the "good Mormon girl" who questions the role of the church and its traditions. They share insight on the process of bringing to life a brand new opera, and their favourite moments in Bohmler's score.
The story seemed to 'sing' from its very first pages
Opera Sense
Few things in the opera world can compare to the excitement surrounding a world premiere, so the atmosphere at Arizona Opera is currently absolutely electrifying! Audience members will soon have the opportunity to witness history in the making: the first American Western opera. Riders of the Purple Sage, a new work by composer Craig Bohmler and librettist Steven Mark Kohn, takes to the stage this weekend.
A Zane Grey Opera: Exploring the Creation and Production of Riders of the Purple Sage
Riders of the Purple Sage is Arizona Opera's first-ever world premiere
The Republic
“Riders of the Purple Sage” is composer Craig Bohmler’s bid to create the first great American Western opera. If it is remains to be seen. But no matter what, “Riders” — based on the classic novel by Zane Grey — is a giant leap forward for Arizona Opera: the first-ever world premiere in the company’s 45-year history.
Arizona Opera set to make history with first Western production
Arizona Daily Star
Arizona Opera is making history this weekend that will go far beyond Tucson Music Hall and Phoenix Symphony Center. The company will mount what is being billed as the first-ever Western opera, a piece the company commissioned based on Zane Grey’s seminal novel “Riders of the Purple Sage.” It is the first time in the company’s 45-year history that it has commissioned a new work and performed a world premiere.
Ed Mell, Arizona Opera bring Zane Grey novel to life
True West Cover Story: Zane Grey Still Riding High
True West Magazine
Now Grey's most popular work – a bestselling Western novel, already fives times a film – is being re-imagined by Arizona Opera to tell the 105-year-old story, Riders of the Purple Sage, all over again. How fitting that this Western opera should be a tale with issues that still ring true to this day – women's rights fundamentalist religion, funs, the search for home. Zane would have been proud.