The Scarlet Letter, Abridged
Lori Laitman, composer and David Mason, librettist
Performed by WCU students and conducted by WCU faculty Dr. Ryan Kelly
Lori Laitman is described by Fanfare Magazine as “one of the most talented and intriguing of living composers,” Lori Laitman has composed multiple operas and choral works, and over 250 songs, setting texts by classical and contemporary poets (including those who perished in the Holocaust). Her music is widely performed, internationally and throughout the United States, and has generated substantial critical acclaim. The Journal of Singing wrote “It is difficult to think of anyone before the public today who equals her exceptional gifts for embracing a poetic text and giving it new and deeper life through music.” Opera Colorado presented the World Premiere of Laitman’s opera The Scarlet Letter in May 2016. The libretto, based on the Hawthorne classic, is by Colorado’s former Poet Laureate, David Mason.