NORFOLK, Va. — Mildred and Richard Loving's marriage led to a landmark Supreme Court case in 1967 that struck down laws banning interracial marriage.
Now, over 50 years later, their story is being adapted into an opera: Loving v. Virginia, which will premiere in Norfolk at the Harrison Opera House this Friday.
Flora Hawk, who plays the role of Mildred Loving, says she's "so excited... very nervous, but very excited all at the same time."
The production focuses on the marriage and legal challenges of Mildred and Richard Loving due to Virginia's laws targeting interracial marriages back in 1958. This resulted in an early morning police raid of their home.
Adam Turner, Virginia Opera's artistic director and chief conductor says he couldn't be more ready for the world premiere.
"It makes me feel elated, excited, energized, really, really thrilled to finally, after five years of thinking about this, of dreaming about it, to be bringing it to our audiences. And we were thinking, what would capture the spirit and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary season?" Turner recalled. "I said it should be a story about Virginia, or from Virginia. How about something with a love story, like a good, old-fashioned love story, and maybe a little bit of conflict."
Watch previous coverage: Virginia Opera commissions performance honoring Loving v. Virginia
After watching the move Loving, which is also based on the landmark SCOTUS case, Turner knew this story was perfectly suited to be an opera.
"I thought, this is an incredible story. This... simple couple who just wanted to live in their home state, raise a family in Central Point, Virginia, and they couldn't; Because there was an obstacle, the laws of the time," Turner said. "We want to give our full spirit of integrity, of honoring their memory, because this is a piece about them, about their love, about the power of their love to conquer laws and give these incredible rights to all of us for so many generations now."
Turner was also hoping to find a composer from Virginia, and he succeeded. Damien Geter's connection to the Virginia Opera goes back to his early experiences with opera.
"And to be able to come back and write for the company where I first experienced opera. There's, there's no, there are no words that I can use to describe this, because it's just, it's an overwhelming feeling," Geter said.
A homecoming of sorts for Geter and for Flora Hawk.
Loving v. Virginia is storyline that hits close to home for Hawk, as she says, "I'm actually a product of interracial love, and I'm in an interracial marriage, this is our... my history... things that I've experienced in my life. This case made it possible that I could actually marry the one that I love, and no one can tell me, I can't."
The same is true for the Jessica Murphy Moo, the person who wrote this opera.
"I'm in an interracial marriage. I feel a debt to them. We want to honor their story," Moo said.
I asked, what dynamic did that add to her writing this?
"I just, I felt a lot of responsibility to do the very best that I could, to get the facts straight, to make sure that we're telling their story in a way that honors them. We had to do a lot of research. We knew there was a lot in the public record, so I did a research trip early on. I wanted to go to the home that they were trying to get back to, and so I visited the courthouse where they had their first trial," Moo answered
Geter is hopeful those in attendance enjoy the performance, he says, "I would like for people to walk away with a sense of empathy, particularly in the times that we're living in right now."
You have two opportunities to check out Loving v. Virginia at the Harrison Opera House, Friday night and Sunday afternoon.
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