BLOOMINGTON — Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music has announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with the Metropolitan Opera, joining the world-renowned company as co-producers for Lincoln in the Bardo, a major new opera based on George Saunders’ Booker Prize-winning 2017 novel.
The work opens at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City on Oct. 19, 2026, and will run through Nov. 15, 2026. Following its initial engagement at Lincoln Center, the co-production will make its Bloomington debut in April 2028 at the Musical Arts Center (MAC) on the IU campus.
The production is co-commissioned by Santa Fe Opera, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, and features music by celebrated American composer Missy Mazzoli set to a libretto by Royce Vavrek.
A Supernatural Tale of Grief and Transition
Set in 1862 during the height of the Civil War, the story unfolds in the “bardo”—a transitional, intermediate plane between life and death according to Tibetan tradition. In this realm, spirits who resist moving on remain trapped alongside their earthly attachments.
The narrative focuses on 11-year-old Willie Lincoln, the recently deceased son of President Abraham Lincoln. Grief-stricken over the loss, President Lincoln makes repeated, heartbroken visits to Willie’s crypt, preventing his son’s spirit from accepting his death and ascending beyond the graveyard.
Educational Initiatives and Student Opportunities
The collaboration marks the latest milestone in an expanding relationship between the nation’s premier music school and the Metropolitan Opera. It follows their previous successful co-production, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, which held its world premiere at the MAC in November 2024 before moving to the Met stage in September 2025.
Through this creative partnership, Jacobs students will gain unique pre-professional experience:
- Role Development: Students will have the opportunity to study, embody, and develop roles inaugurated during the Met run by opera luminaries such as Christine Goerke and Anthony Roth Costanzo.
- Curricular Leadership: Jacobs School scholars are helping design and evaluate educational materials for school educators, expanding classical music learning across the country.
- Data Analysis: IU faculty are collaborating with the Met to collect and analyze audience data from the HD Live in the Schools program to enhance educational outreach.
By pairing world-class performance opportunities with academic research, the joint project aims to strengthen innovative arts education while expanding the horizons of modern operatic production.
