Opera Parallèle is taking you to the top of the world! Immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring landscapes of Everest for a one-of-a-kind operatic adventure. Based on the true story of an ill-fated expedition in 1996, a group of mountaineers tap into the depths of their physical and emotional selves to realize their dreams of conquering Everest. Following the critical success of OP’s award-winning, genre-defying animated film Everest – A Graphic Novel Opera, the company now offers an entirely new way to experience opera, placing the audience directly in the action among the intricate imagery and soaring soundworld of this breathtaking story. This cutting-edge work fuses the vivid imagery of graphic novels with the visceral power of the operatic voice in a unique multi-sensory environment.

The Experience

From the moment you enter the venue, you will be transported into a stylized, animated world. An expansive interactive lobby installation will guide you through a snowy tundra to your seat, where you’ll be invited to wear white to become part of the projected landscape and be fully immersed into the world of Everest. With a directional surround soundscape of powerful music, you will feel every crack of ice, the menacing storms and the powerful voices of our all-star cast.

Synopsis

Everest follows the true-life stories of three climbers, Rob Hall, Doug Hansen, and Beck Weathers as they attempt to summit Mount Everest in 1996. The crackling mountain, the prevailing wind, the power of nature abounds. Throughout the immersive experience we move between the climbers’ present realities on the mountain, that of their loved ones and their pasts as they slip in and out of consciousness. As the climbers struggle to reach safety through the storm, we experience with them the brutal realities of Everest and the power of human conviction.

Read more information on the OP website here.

Creative Team

Composer - Joby Talbot
Librettist - Gene Scheer
Director & Creator - Brian Staufenbiel
Illustrator - Mark Simmons
Projection Designer & Director of Photography - David Murakami
Scenic Designer - Jacquelyn Scott
Sound Engineer - Miles Lassi

Conductor and Cast (not appearing live)

Conductor - Nicole Paiement
Assistant Conductor - Jessica Bejarano
Jan Arnold - Sasha Cooke, mezzo-soprano
Rob Hall - Nathan Granner, tenor
Beck Weathers - Kevin Burdette, bass
Doug Hansen - Hadleigh Adams, baritone
Guy Cotter, Mike Groom & Vocal Quartet - Matt Boehler, bass
Meg Weathers - Charlotte Fanvu, treble
Vocal Quartet - Shawnette Sulker, soprano
Vocal Quartet - Whitney Steele, mezzo-soprano
Vocal Quartet - Kevin Gino, tenor

Read biographies here.

Opera Parallèle Sponsors

Support for Everest: An Immersive Experience has been provided by Bob Ellis, Stephen & Diane Heiman, and Marcia Barinaga & Corey Goodman.

Major support for Opera Parallèle has been provided by Gordon Getty, Paul L. King, Donna Dubinsky & Len Shustek, Scott R. Lord, and The Future Fund.

Major institutional and corporate support for Opera Parallèle has been provided by Adobe, The Dallas Opera, The Lemala Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, City & County of San Francisco Grants for the Arts, and the Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation.