Sanctuary Road

Sanctuary Road is based on the remarkable writings of William Still – an abolitionist, historian, and conductor of the Underground Railroad who helped nearly 800 enslaved African Americans escape to freedom. This moving piece tells the stories of Clarissa Davis, who fled Portsmouth, VA, Henry “Box” Brown, who fled Richmond, VA, along with the account of several other men and women who risked it all in pursuit of freedom.

Music by Paul Moravec, Libretto by Mark Campbell, Based on the writings of William Still, a conductor for the Underground Railroad
Sung in English with English Surtitles
Conducted by Everett McCorvey and Directed by Kimille Howard
The orchestra for this production is provided by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra
The runtime for this production is approximately 1 hour with no intermission
Read Program
To learn more about the topics covered in Sanctuary Road, check out this reading list.

The production of Sanctuary Road received funding from OPERA America’s Next Stage program, which were funded with gifts from OPERA America’s 50th Anniversary Campaign, including a leadership gift from Fayda B. Lindemann. Supplemental support for revisions was generously provided by the Mellon Foundation.