
Composers Rhianna Giddens and Michael Abels won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in Music for their opera “Omar,” which Iowa’s Quad City Symphony performs in a concert adaptation next month.
In Saturday’s (1/25) Quad City News (Iowa), Linda Cook writes, “The Quad City Symphony Orchestra will present ‘Omar’s Journey,’ a concert opera adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning work by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels, Feb. 1 and 2. It shares the story of Omar Ibn Said from his freedom in West Africa to enslavement in South Carolina. Through a fusion of West African musical traditions and classical opera, brought to life by a cast of world-class artists, ‘Omar’s Journey’ promises an exploration of resilience, faith, and the enduring human spirit. The performance will explore the story of Omar ibn Said, a West African scholar and devout Muslim whose journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Born in Senegal around 1770, Omar was a highly educated man, studying theology, mathematics, and astronomy. His life was tragically disrupted in 1807 when he was captured and sold into slavery, eventually ending up in North Carolina. Despite the harsh realities of enslavement, Omar never lost his faith or identity…. Omar’s story is one of survival, adaptation, and the enduring power of faith and knowledge.” Michael Abels is profiled in a recent Symphony article.