CAPA Theater
January 23, 26, 29, 31
8 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 2 p.m.
Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy: the March sisters are forever part of the canon of American literature.
Louisa May Alcott’s iconic coming-of-age novel—an instant success when it was published in 1868—went on to be adapted for six films, four television series, a Broadway musical and even two Japanese anime shows. This month, opera fans can revisit the timeless tale, which is loosely based on the author and her own three sisters, in a not-to-miss Pittsburgh premiere.
It was dubbed a masterpiece by The New York Times, broadcast on NPR and aired as a television special on PBS, and now Mark Adamo’s acclaimed adaptation of the beloved classic Little Women rolls into town for just four nights at downtown’s CAPA Theater.
The journey of the four March sisters from childhood to adulthood—including the mix of sibling personalities and the emotional journey of outspoken Jo—will all come to life in operatic form.
Opera-goers will explore themes of domesticity, work, romance, independence and identity and will get a glimpse of what it was like for the sisters growing up in New England after the American Civil.
The first opera created by American composer Mark Adamo, who is professor of music at New York University, Little Women features his original libretto and orchestral music. The production will be accompanied by live music performed by the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, which features 19 members playing strings, woodwinds and percussion.
For this new version of the production, Little Women features custom-made sets, depicting the story’s many scenes and locations, constructed by designers from Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama.
Directed by Crystal Manich and conducted by Glenn Lewis, Little Women stars Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artists Corrie Stalling (Jo), Laurel Semerdjian (Meg), Adelaide Boedecker (Beth), Claudia Rosenthal (Amy), Adam Bonanni (Laurie), Brian Vu (John Brooke) and Matthew Scollin (Friedrich Bhaer).
Purchase tickets. CAPA Theater is located at 111 9th Street in downtown Pittsburgh.
Looking for more events? Read our 10 Pittsburgh events not to miss in January feature.