Nashville Opera returns to the theater in 2022 with a world premiere. The season opens January 21 – 23 at the Noah Liff Opera Center with the world premiere of Favorite Son, composed by Grammy-winning songwriter Marcus Hummon.
Drawing from experiences in the composer’s own life, the poignant opera journeys through one man’s memories with an introspective lens as he explores the essence of his truth. The cast features singer, songwriter, session musician and four-time Grammy-nominated artist Darrell Scott; popular opera crossover tenor (and minor league baseball player) John Riesen; Emma Grimsley, who led the North American touring company of The Phantom of the Opera as Christine through its closing in February 2020; Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva, seen in last fall’s world premiere opera film One Vote Won; and an ensemble of musical theatre program students from Belmont University.
Hummon, who previously collaborated with Nashville Opera to produce his work Surrender Road, is best known for penning songs including The Chicks’ “Cowboy Take Me Away,” Tim McGraw’s “One of These Days,” Wynonna Judd’s “Only Love,” and “Bless the Broken Road” for Rascal Flatts.
Director John Hoomes brings the vision to life on stage. Originally inspired by Hummon’s original song of the same name, Favorite Son the opera began its transformation at Hoomes’ suggestion. Hummon recalls after performing the song years ago at the Nashville songwriter staple, Bluebird Cafe, that Hoomes greeted him post-performance with, “I think that song is a show,” and so the concept was expanded.
A blend of the warm, acoustic feel of folk and a powerful punch of pop on an operatic scale, the piece audibly modernizes a story of love, loss and acceptance.
Tickets are currently on sale. For more information, visit nashvilleopera.org/favoriteson.
