City of Ashes, a one-act opera by Evan Fein and Emily Anderson, receives its U.S. premiere this week on Thursday and Friday under the auspices of Marble City Opera and Friends of Music and the Arts (FOMA) at Knoxville’s Church of the Ascension.
The opera’s story is set amidst the war-ravaged landscape of Berlin in 1945. Two German roommates, Lotte (Aubrey Odle) and Lilli (April Martin), struggle to survive in a world of hunger and fear of violence and sexual assault from revenge-seeking Russian forces, while haunted with the guilt of Nazi atrocities. Forced to accept a new normal, Lotte and her Welsh lover, Owen (Brent Hetherington), nevertheless have hope for a future life with dual themes of love and redemption as compelling forces in their relationship.
City of Ashes received its world premiere in 2018 from Opéra de Poche in Paris.
Stage director for Marble City Opera’s production is Marya Barry; musical direction is by Brandon Coffer.
Curtain time is 8:00 PM on Thursday and Friday evenings, September 12 and 13. Knoxville Episcopal Church of the Ascension is at 800 S. Northshore Drive between Kingston Pike and Lyons View Drive. Tickets and Information.
