Hopper's 'Room in New York' inspires new opera

"Room in New York," an evocation of an uneasy relationship between two figures, a man and a woman, viewed through an open city window, has long been acknowledged as a key work in artist Edward Hopper's career. One of Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery's best-known artworks, the oil painted in 1932 is now one of the inspirations for a new opera to be performed for the first time this fall.

"Later the Same Evening," an opera inspired by five paintings of Edward Hopper, is a joint project of the National Gallery of Art, the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and the University of Maryland School of Music. Composer John Musto and librettist Mark Campbell collaborated on the project.

Five paintings that poignantly capture moments of loneliness and estrangement are woven into the opera's set design through projections. "Room in New York" (1932), "Hotel Window" (1955), "Hotel Room" (1931), "Two on the Aisle" (1927), and "Automat" (1927) all depict scenes of urban isolation. The opera imagines the lives of the figures in these paintings, beginning with the man and woman in "Room in New York," and connects them as characters -- both directly and tangentially -- on one evening in New York City in 1932. Performed at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park, Maryland, from Nov. 15-18 and then at the National Gallery of Art on Dec. 2, the opera is offered in conjunction with the first comprehensive exhibition of Hopper's work to be seen in museums outside of New York in more than 25 years.

The exhibition "Edward Hopper," organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is now on view in Boston through Aug. 19. It will be on view at the National Gallery of Art from Sept. 16 through Jan. 21, 2008. It will be seen at the Art Institute of Chicago, Feb. 16 through May 11, 2008. "Room in New York," on loan by the Sheldon, is one of approximately 60 works in the exhibition.

Four performances of "Later the Same Evening," an opera inspired by five paintings of Edward Hopper, will be given at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's Kay Theatre Nov. 15-17, at 7:30 p.m. and on Nov. 18, at 3 p.m. One performance will be given at the National Gallery of Art on Dec. 2, at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets for the Nov. 15-18 performances are $20 for the general public, $7 for full-time students of all ages, and are available now by visiting www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu or calling (301) 405-ARTS (2787). The Clarice Smith Center is located near the intersection of Route 193 and Stadium Drive at the University of Maryland, College Park.

For the free Dec. 2 performance at the National Gallery of Art, reservations will be accepted beginning Oct. 1 at www.nga.gov/hopper.

Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery houses a permanent collection of more than 12,000 objects focusing on American art. The Nebraska Art Association is the dedicated nonprofit support group of the Sheldon. The museum, located at 12th and R streets on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For information or to arrange a tour, please call (402) 472-2461. Additional information is available on the Sheldon Web site, www.sheldon.unl.edu.

Contact: Tom White, Public Relations Manager, Sheldon, (402) 472-1197