Fellow Travelers, a love story set during the McCarthy era when U.S. government and military workers were investigated and hounded from their jobs because of their sexual orientation, is set to launch a two-year 10th anniversary tour Feb. 21 at Seattle Opera. Based on the novel by Thomas Mallon, the opera was created by composer Gregory Spears, librettist Greg Pierce, and director Kevin Newbury, and premiered in 2016 at Cincinnati Opera.
From Seattle it will travel to Portland Opera, San Diego Opera and the Glimmerglass Festival, with additional productions in 2027 at Austin Opera and Cincinnati Opera, where it first premiered.
A Tempo host Rachel Katz speaks with Newbury and Mallon about the opera's significance and the tour, including the organizers' decision to cancel plans to open at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with Washington National Opera.
