The year was 1913.
Hundreds of people died, hundreds of buildings were destroyed, and thousands of people were left homeless when the Great Flood devastated Franklinton. The neighborhood was known as “the bottoms,” as it sits on the lower side of the Scioto River from downtown Columbus. The images and stories are staggering. It stands as the most catastrophic flood in Ohio’s history.
A tragedy most certainly perfect for an opera.
The year is 2019.
Opera Columbus, which is dedicated to transforming the experience and advancing the art of opera, has co-commissioned a new work with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra. The world premiere of The Flood, a chamber opera, is this weekend at the Southern Theatre. The Southern existed at the time of the flood and is the oldest surviving theatre in Central Ohio.
The significance of the production is more than historical importance and artistic excellence — it represents the ethos of Opera Columbus, which is making culturally relevant opera that moves its audience and impacts the field. The Flood is only one example of the vision and innovation that has become synonymous with Opera Columbus.
We applaud their work and are honored to call Opera Columbus a client. I am also proud to be a former executive director of ProMusica Chamber Orchestra. I can’t wait to see how Peggy Dye and Janet Chen, with their artistic teams, tell the human story of love and loss through the power of music, costume, sets, and song. I hope you join me.
The dates are February 8–10.
A 25% ticket discount is available for all performances with the code MOLLARD.
Article by: Kerri Laubenthal Mollard, Founder & CEO
