This production is a collaboration between Dr. Scott MacLeod, associate professor of voice, Dr. Brad Barlow, associate professor of astrophysics and Director of the Culp Planetarium, Kristine McIntyre, internationally renowned stage director, composer Mark Lanz Weiser and librettist Amy S. Punt. We proudly present the world premiere of a family-friendly opera titled Galaxies in Her Eyes.
This performance is free to attend and open to the public, but tickets are required.
This is the first opera conceived for planetariums, focusing on STEM and chronicling the accomplishments of famous women scientists and their groundbreaking discoveries. This will be the first time that the Culp Planetarium on HPU’s campus has hosted a performing arts production featuring professional singers and musicians.
The opera tells the story of a young girl who dreams of going to the stars. She weaves together the stories of astronomical pioneers Annie Jump Cannon, Katherine Johnson and Ada Lovelace, whose work helps make that journey possible. Across time and space, she discovers a sisterhood of science which is defined by collaboration, perseverance, a fascination with the unknown and the importance of doing your math homework.
The opera is a fully professional production featuring musicians from the Winston-Salem Symphony, internationally acclaimed opera singers, and professional technical crew such as the lighting designer, stage manager, stage director, costume and makeup designer, and master electrician.
Performance dates and times:
Friday, April 1 7:30pm
Saturday, April 2 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Sunday, April 3 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Click here for tickets to attend in person.
The 7:30pm show on Sunday, April 3 will also be available to view on livestream by clicking here.
Tips for the best livestream viewing experience
The livestream will be broadcast with a 360 degree camera, so that viewers can move their view anywhere within the dome by clicking/dragging on the video. This is best viewed on a laptop or desktop computer, but it can be viewed on a tablet or phone. However, in the case of at least some phones (and probably tablets, too), you will need to watch using the YouTube app itself (instead of going to YouTube on a web browser like Safari or Chrome) to experience the 360 nature of the video and scroll around the room as they watch. On many phones, if you join the livestream from YouTube through a web browser, it just displays a flat screen version facing the front of the room, and you cannot interact with the view (i.e., you cannot scroll around the room).
Kristine McIntyre, director
Karen Ní Bhroin, conductor
Diana Thompson-Brewer, Eden
Lindsay Kesselman, Ada Lovelace
Amanda Lynn Bottoms, Katherine Johnson
Sarah Nordin, Annie Jump Cannon
PG Hazard, piano
Fabrice Dharamraj, violin 1
Emilia Sharpe, violin 2
Simon Ertz, viola
Laura Shirley, cello
Mark Weiser, composer
Amy Punt, librettist
Scott MacLeod, producer
Brittany Carter, stage manager
Kathy Maxwell, graphics/lighting designer
Troy Morelli, master electrician
Brad Barlow, planetarium director
Erin Brady, planetarium manager
Emmie D’Amico, props mistress and ASM
Jason Estrada, makeup and costume designer
Lani Skelley, assistant production manager
Hailey Turner, assistant production manager
The following cast were involved in the workshop of this production in the Spring of 2021 at High Point University:
Reyna Alston
Stephanie Stone
Andria Williamson
Tabitha Brandel
Susan Young
Galaxies In Her Eyes is made possible with generous support from:
- The High Point University Department of Music
- The Winston-Salem Symphony
- A grant from The National Science Foundation (AST #1812874)
- The HPU Cultural Programs Committee
- The HPU Culp Planetarium
- The Stephen and Linda Stone family
