Hampton Roads, Richmond, Fairfax, VA (January 22, 2025) – Virginia Opera, in collaboration with the Richmond Symphony, proudly presents the World Premiere of Loving v. Virginia as the culminating production of Virginia Opera’s 50th Anniversary Season. This powerful new opera tells the inspiring true story of Mildred and Richard Loving, whose courage and love led to the landmark Supreme Court decision that struck down laws prohibiting interracial marriage in the United States. The production will debut in Norfolk on April 25 and 27, 2025, with additional performances in Fairfax on May 3 and 4 and in Richmond from May 9 to 11.
Virginia Opera and Richmond Symphony first announced the co-commission of Loving v. Virginia in May 2022, naming Damien Geter as Composer and Jessica Murphy Moo as Librettist.
Reflecting on the project, Geter shared: “As a native Virginian, the historical significance of Loving v. Virginia has remained with me since I was a teenager, but I’m finding there are many who are unfamiliar with this landmark case. Coming back home to Virginia and collaborating with Virginia Opera (the company where I first experienced opera) and working with Jessica Murphy Moo to tell the story of Mildred and Richard Loving is important not only for the sake of honoring their legacy, but also for ensuring the future of the art form.”
Jessica Murphy Moo added: “Mildred and Richard Loving made my own family possible. What an honor and responsibility it is to be part of a team telling their story. Think for a moment about what they achieved—they were only two people and yet they stood up to legalized racism and enacted lasting change. Their story is an inspiration. And it’s also an opera! The vision they were working toward—equality, home, love—these subjects are part of opera’s vast terrain. I know that Damien Geter’s music will make us all feel—in new ways—the weight and importance of the Lovings’ contribution to racial justice in America.”
Virginia Opera Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Adam Turner spoke about the significance of this premiere: “Considering how best to commemorate VA Opera’s 50th Anniversary of producing opera in the Commonwealth has been the subject of countless conversations for a number of years. Early on, we recognized the importance of reaching at least one of two key wishes. First, to feature a Virginia story. Second, to feature a Virginia composer. With composer and Virginia-native Damien Geter, and the powerful, courageous story of Loving v. Virginia, we are thrilled to meet this incredible moment for opera in Virginia!”
World-renowned mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, serving as Stage Director, expressed her excitement about the project: “It is an honor to be asked to join a team that has developed a project around one of the most important moments of Social Justice in the history of our country. I am confident Damien and Jessica have delivered a score and libretto worthy of the Lovings, and I am eager to manifest their blueprint into a world-class production.”
The creative team also includes Adam Turner as conductor, Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams as scenic designer, Jessica Jahn as costume designer, and Xavier Pierce as lighting designer.
Virginia Opera has assembled a stellar cast for this historic premiere. Flora Hawk makes her mainstage debut as Mildred Jeter Loving, alongside Jonathan Michie, also making his mainstage debut, as Richard Loving. VA Opera-favorite Troy Cook returns to portray ACLU lawyer Bernard Cohen, and Christian Sanders makes his mainstage debut as ACLU lawyer Phillip Hirschkop. Benjamin Werley, a former Herndon Foundation Emerging Artist, takes on the dual roles of Sheriff Brooks and Judge Leon M. Bazile, while Virginia-native Adam Richardson returns, bringing his talents to the role of family-friend Raymond Green. Former Herndon Foundation Emerging Artist Tesia Kwarteng plays Annette Byrd (Mildred’s cousin), while Phillip Bullock, another former Emerging Artist, makes his mainstage debut as Theoliver “Jake” Jeter (Mildred’s father). Melody Wilson makes her mainstage debut as Musiel Byrd Jeter (Mildred’s mother), and Alissa Anderson returns to portray Lola Allen Loving (Richard’s mother).
Performances of Loving v. Virginia will take place in three locations:
- Norfolk: April 25 and 27, 2025, at the Harrison Opera House
- Richmond: May 9, 10, and 11, 2025, at the Dominion Energy Center
- Fairfax: May 3 and 4, 2025, at the Center for the Arts at George Mason University
As the grand finale of Virginia Opera’s 50th Anniversary Season, Loving v. Virginia underscores the company’s commitment to presenting stories of profound cultural and historical significance. This world premiere exemplifies Virginia Opera’s dedication to innovation and inclusivity in the art form.
A preview of the opera is available in a YouTube video showcasing one of the arias from the production. https://youtu.be/JfdnX68oCxw.
Tickets for Loving v. Virginia are available for purchase. For more information, visit https://www.lovingvvirginiaopera.com/ or contact the Virginia Opera Box Office at 866-673-7282.
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About Virginia Opera
Virginia Opera, the official opera company of the Commonwealth of Virginia, is one of the finest regional opera companies in the nation and is the only company to perform regularly in three separate main stage venues: the Harrison Opera House in Norfolk, the Carpenter Theatre at the Dominion Energy Center in Richmond, and Center for the Arts at George Mason University in Fairfax. Organized in 1974, Virginia Opera is respected nationwide for the identification and presentation of the finest young artists, for the musical and dramatic integrity of its productions, and for the ingenuity and variety of its education and outreach programs.
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About Richmond Symphony
Founded in 1957, the Richmond Symphony is the largest performing arts organization in Central Virginia and housed within the Dominion Energy Center in downtown Richmond. The organization includes an orchestra of more than 70 professional musicians, the 150-voice Richmond Symphony Chorus and more than 260 students in the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra programs. Each season, more than 200,000 members of the community enjoy concerts, radio broadcasts, and educational outreach programs. The Richmond Symphony is partially funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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