Joby Talbot and librettist Gene Scheer’s latest opera The Diving Bell and The Butterfly follows a true story of strength, determination and the desire for connection based on the memoirs of journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby. The Dallas Opera will give the World Premiere of the production on November 3 with a staggering cast of opera powerhouses.
Grammy Award–winning baritone Lucas Meachem stars as Jean-Do who awakes from a coma unable to move or speak, “locked-in” like a diver at the bottom of the sea. Suffering from locked-in syndrome but with a mind as brilliant as ever, he writes a best-selling memoir dedicated to his children, blink by blink, with the only part of his body that he can move—his left eyelid.
Along with librettist Gene Scheer, Talbot has researched the story of this remarkable story in close collaboration with Jean-Do's surviving family. The Dallas opera has recruited a stellar cast for the world premiere on November 3 including Lucas Meachem, Sasha Cooke, Richard Croft and Andriana Chuchman. Emanuel Villaume conducts and the opera is directed by Leonard Foglia.
The final performance will be live streamed on November 11.
