Lincoln in the Bardo Opera Debuts at the Metropolitan Opera

A new opera adapted from George Saunders’ acclaimed novel, Lincoln in the Bardo, premiered at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. The opera, set in a supernatural realm, explores President Abraham Lincoln’s grieving process following his son’s death during the Civil War.

Composer Missy Mazzoli, the first woman to premiere an opera on the Met’s stage, brings the story to life with her unique musical choices. From the start, the ambience is eerie as chandeliers flicker, setting the scene for an unsettling experience. As the curtain rises, a graveyard appears where ghostly figures emerge, playing kazoos—a symbolic choice to indicate that this is not a typical opera.

The source material, narrated by 166 characters in Saunders’ novel, details young Willie Lincoln’s entrapment in a liminal space surrounded by unaware spirits. The narrative focuses on this surreal lead character as his father visits his grave, unaware of the ghosts watching.

Librettist Royce Vavrek, collaborating with Mazzoli, distilled the narrative into a streamlined version featuring five characters. Christine Goerke stars as the Reverend, a character specially tailored by Mazzoli for her voice. As the only one aware of his own death, the Reverend aids others in transitioning to the afterlife.

Director Lileana Blain-Cruz faces unique staging challenges. The plot demands various supernatural occurrences—souls entering one another, characters vanishing, and puppetry—enhanced by Mazzoli’s orchestration. These elements combine to illustrate the bardo and convey the shift from life to another realm, using George Saunders’ invented term ‘matterlightblooming’.

Lincoln himself experiences profound grief, acknowledging the widespread mourning caused by the war. Mazzoli explains that this experience enriches Lincoln’s empathy and resolve to end the conflict. The opera, though centered on the idea of moving on from death, seeks to infuse the narrative with elements of hope and joy.

Blain-Cruz and the production team aim to show audiences that even within this somber subject, there is vibrancy and forward movement. Despite its exploration of loss, the opera’s presentation of hope and life makes the emotional journey inviting and compelling.