Hannah’s Life Before and After

The story revolves around Hannah, who senses early in life that something isn’t quite right. She is alone in the world, doesn’t quite fit in anywhere, and feels a sense of unease in both body and soul.

We follow Hannah’s journey through the transition that shapes her life—and the challenges that arise along the way. She is portrayed on stage by both a baritone and a mezzo-soprano—to depict her life before and after the transition.

The opera, with a libretto by Kimberly Reed and Mark Campbell, is divided into two acts. The first act depicts Hannah’s teenage years, and we get a glimpse of her insecurity, her search for identity, and her loneliness. But we also get to witness her discovery that there is, in fact, a place in the world for her—that there is a sense of belonging and security. She is not alone in feeling like an outsider and an oddball.

In the second part, her journey through transition begins. We follow her through difficult hormone treatments, a challenging time in college, and a complicated relationship with her family. It is only when she travels alone to a new country that she begins to find herself, her identity, and the truths of life.

This is an opera that truly challenges us with questions about identity, authenticity, compassion, and self-love. No one will be left unmoved.

More about Laura Kaminsky

Laura Kaminsky is from New York and is a composer, producer, and lecturer. Throughout her long career, she has worked in North America, Africa, and Europe. She has composed a vast amount of music for chamber ensembles, solo instruments, choirs, and orchestras, as well as a long series of music-theatrical works that often address sociopolitical themes.

More about Kimberley Reed and Marc Campbell

Kimberly Reed is a writer, director, and filmmaker from the United States. She has primarily made a name for herself as a documentary filmmaker, creating acclaimed films such as *Dark Money* and *Prodigal Sons*. For this production, she co-wrote the libretto with American poet and librettist Mark Campbell. He is one of the most accomplished librettists in contemporary musical theater and has won both a Grammy and a Pulitzer Prize in music for his operatic works. He has written librettos for 40 operas throughout his career, including acclaimed works such as *The Shining*, *Silent Night*, and *The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs*.