DAUGHTER OF GOD is a brand new one-woman chamber opera commissioned by LOAM Music creators, Micah Gleason (Opera Philadelphia, Glimmerglass Festival) and Joanne Evans (Aix en Provence Festival, Merola Opera Program), written by composer-librettist team Christopher Bell and Susan Bywaters (Beth Morrison Projects), and directed by George Miller (Long Beach Opera).

In DAUGHTER OF GOD we meet Leah, a Christian influencer fighting a decade-long battle with cancer. With her options for further treatment dwindling, she takes advantage of an innovative new technology: uploading her consciousness to an AI model named Thea.

The opera received its first public performance by way of a workshop on May 10, 2024 at the Curtis Institute for Music in Philadelphia. The workshop began with a staged musical excerpt, performed by Joanne Evans (mezzo soprano), Julin Cheung (flute), Simon Bakos (clarinet), Kathryn Dark (viola) and Tom Kraines (cello).

The workshop concluded with a roundtable discussion and Q&A between audience members and esteemed guest panelists, Emil Polyak, Ari Gass, and Victor Gomes. Said panelists will continue to advise on DAUGHTER OF GOD as Leah’s story is completed.

DAUGHTER OF GOD is slated to receive its premiere in 2025.

Christopher Bell - composer

Susan Bywaters - librettist

Joanne Evans, mezzo-soprano

Micah Gleason - music director 

George Miller - director

Nathaniel Stephenson - sound design