NORFOLK, Va. — Theirs is a love story that altered history. With time, Damien Geter hopes he is able to move hearts.
"It can take years to write an opera, if you're lucky," Geter shares.
Virginia Opera commissioned Geter and librettist Jessica Murphy Moo to create the opera. It is scheduled to debut in venues across Virginia, including Norfolk’s Harrison Opera House, in 2025.
In 1958, a Virginia judge sentenced Richard and Mildred Loving to prison for marrying each other. Interracial marriages were illegal in Virginia due to the Racial Integrity Act of 1924. Nine long years later, The U.S. Supreme Court overturned their conviction in a major victory for civil rights.
Geter wants his opera to be a win for groups who are often underrepresented on stage.
"Art has the ability to heal,” he adds. “If you see yourself on stage, it can be very cathartic."
The Lovings’ story made it to the big screen in 2016. A feature film called "Loving" exposed their fight to a larger audience. But it is on the stage where it will get new life and resonate with a new generation of opera-goers.
"Some of the stories that have been told in the past, through opera, haven't really resonated with different demographics. So, I think that we're trying to change that."
According to Virginia Opera, workshops will be held to review the development of the libretto, vocal writing, the orchestral score and the production design. Geter knows the responsibility he holds is great.
"The stakes feel very high, because we do have living descendants,” he says. “I just hope that we do it justice."
