Harvey Milk Reimagined

Performances

Harvey Milk Reimagined

Presented by Opera Parallèle & YBCA |

May 31–June 7, 2025

Stewart Wallace, Composer; Michael Korie, Librettist

The powerful and tragic opera celebrates Milk’s enduring legacy and contributions to the nascent LGBTQ+ movement, his early life in New York and relocation to San Francisco, later becoming the first openly gay man in 1978 to be elected to public office in California. Milk served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for 11 months before being assassinated, along with then-Mayor George Moscone, at San Francisco City Hall.

In a fitting tribute to gay rights icon and activist Harvey Milk, Opera Parallèle will produce a completely new and eagerly anticipated production of Harvey Milk by composer Stewart Wallace and librettist Michael Korie. Newly revised into two acts instead of three, with new music and a tighter cast from its sprawling original Houston Grand Opera premiere in 1995 and San Francisco Opera debut in 1996, this reimagined version of Harvey Milk was originally intended for an earlier Opera Parallèle season, but was delayed by the pandemic.

A pre-concert talk will be held 60 mins prior to each performance featuring the creative team, local activists and friends of Harvey Milk. Hosted by OP Scholar in Residence Michael Mohammed. Visit: operaparallele.org/harveymilk/ for other events leading up to the production.

Along with the opera, YBCA is excited to display a unique selection of Milk’s personal artifacts and historical ephemera, in collaboration with the GLBT Historical Society. From personal letters to campaign materials to photos from the frontlines of the movement, the display offers additional dimension and detail to Milk’s life and story—and is a powerful complement to the moving and inspiring opera performance.

Presented in partnership with YBCA. Commissioned by Opera Parallèle and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Used by arrangement with Schott Music Corporation, agent for Sidmar Music, publisher and copyright owner.

Opera Parallèle

Opera Parallèle merges tradition with innovation to re-invent opera for our modern world. Founded in 2007 by conductor Nicole Paiement, the company has been a driving force in redefining the operatic experience for modern audiences. Opera Parallèle is deeply committed to presenting works that explore relevant social and cultural themes. Its productions often challenge traditional operatic norms by incorporating multimedia elements, technology, and unconventional staging. By blending classical opera with contemporary ideas, the company has garnered a reputation for pushing artistic boundaries and fostering creativity within opera.

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GLBT Historical Society

Founded in 1985, the GLBT Historical Society is a global leader in LGBTQ+ public history. The Society collects, preserves, exhibits, and makes accessible to the public materials and knowledge to support and promote understanding of LGBTQ+ history, culture, and arts in all their diversity. Through the Dr. John P. DeCecco Archives, the organization maintains one of the world’s largest archival collections of LGBTQ+ historical materials. In 2011, the Society established and continues operating the first museum of LGBTQ+ history and culture in the United States. The Society’s operations are centered at two sites: the GLBT Historical Society Museum, located in the heart of San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood, and the Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives and Research Center, open to researchers and located in the Mid-Market district. For more information, visit glbthistory.org.

Organization image: Michael Kelly as Harvey Milk, Photo: Matt Simpkins Photography.