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Press Releases

White Snake Projects Premieres First Community Opera with 826 Boston's Young Writers, June 28

 

A Timely Exploration of Gentrification and its Impact on Climate Featuring Lyrics Written by Local Teenagers from 826 Boston As part of White Snake Project’s Season-Long Spotlight on Climate Change

BOSTON, MA (For Release 05.06.25) — Celebrated for creating diverse, timely and relevant  opera, activist opera company White Snake Projects (WSP) returns to The Strand Theatre, June  28, 2025, for the world premiere of To The People Like Us, in a season dedicated to addressing the climate crisis through art. Marking the company’s inaugural community opera, To The  People Like Us was collaboratively written by  local teenage students of  826  Boston’s Youth Literacy Advisory Board. To The People Like Us is an original timely story exploring issues of gentrification, climate change, and development in Boston. Set to original music by Mexican-American composer Jorge Sosa, a quartet of singers will be accompanied by a classical musical ensemble.   Celebrating their debut as librettists, the 11 young writers are all students (ages 15-18) at the after-school literacy program, 826 Boston. According to Daniela Martinez of East Boston, writing for opera was an intimidating yet rewarding task. "I never thought that I'd be able to write an opera. It seemed daunting. But, whenever I ran out of words, my writing partners filled in the blanks for me. Creating this opera showed me the brilliance of others first-hand." The students spent a semester expounding on the topic of gentrification and its current and prospective impact on climate.  To The People Like Us is set in a neighborhood in Boston similar to Dorchester or Roxbury where residents are mostly people of color, predominantly Latine. It’s a story about gentrification centered on the local Bodega and skate park and their imminent razing by local developers.    “It’s about gentrification—our apartment building torn down,   our bodega and our park. I can’t imagine the bulldozers making   all we love into rubble, piles of rubble, piles of rubble, piles of rubble.”  “This is a once in a lifetime chance to stand up for what we love.   We can no longer destroy our lives just to be one of them?”  “I reach across the dark abyss and clutch your hand in mine.   Together we can build a bridge, a colored bridge of hope.”  “Do they care about our neighborhoods? The green of parks and trees.   Do they care about our neighborhoods? Or only the green of money?”    White Snake Projects’s 2025 season amplifies the urgent issue of climate by better educating, advocating and conversing about climate change. Dedicated to using the power of music theater and the arts toraise awareness of climate justice, WSP encourages both the practice of sustainability in opera, as well as promoting the adoption of a philosophy of sustainability that can be woven into every aspect of production. About 826 Boston  826 Boston is a nonprofit writing, tutoring, and publishing organization where students in grades K-12 and beyond can share their stories, amplify their voices, and develop as leaders in school and in life. 826 Boston’s Youth Literary Advisory Board (YLAB) provides a supportive community, a safe space for teens, and a place to fulfill self-expression. It’s a transformative experience that encourages students to be comfortable with their self-identity. YLAB is a collective providing students support to discover their artistic voice through book publishing, podcasts, and civic engagement opportunities to fuel change.   About White Snake Projects  White Snake Projects (WSP) is an activist opera company making mission-driven work that unites artmaking with civic practice. It envisions a world where the power of opera expands our collective understanding of community and transforms lives through creative storytelling. The company’s most recent efforts have been devoted to the live digital productions of the Pandemic Trilogy:  Alice in the Pandemic addressed the disproportionate strain of COVID-19 on communities of color and essential workers; Death by Life explored long-term incarceration and institutionalized racism; and A Survivor’s Odyssey dealt with the ongoing crisis of sexual and intimate partner violence. A critical element in the exploration of these themes is the establishment of authentic connections with thought leaders in social justice to ensure that the company’s creative work lives in an ecosystem of activism. WSP sees opera not just as performance, but as performance with purpose, a vibrant and vital art form that is also a champion of change.     * * *   Program Ticketing Info:  To The People Like Us  June 28, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.  The Strand Theatre, 543 Columbia Road, Dorchester, MA   Tickets: General Admission, Pay-What-You-Can. For tickets, visit WhiteSnakeProjects.org. Cast Creative Team:  Composer: Jorge Sosa  Dramaturgs: Cerise Lim Jacobs and Andres Ballesteros  Musicians: Lilit Hartunian (violin), Colleen Brannen (violin), Justin Ouellet (viola), Linda Hwang (cello), Gillian Dana (bass), Dan Pelletier (percussion), David McGrory (piano) Singers: Nina Evelyn (soprano), Linda Maritza Collazo (mezzo-soprano), Melisa Bonetti Luna (mezzo-soprano), Jesús Daniel Hernández (tenor)   Lyricists: 826 Boston Youth Literacy Advisory Board writers Director: Pascale Florestal  Music Director: Tianhui Ng  80min w/o intermission; semi-staged; sung in English with subtitles    # # #