Synopsis

The first opera about the Iraq war experience is inspired by the life and work of US Marine, Christian Ellis, Fallujah follows mothers and sons as they search for hope and healing in the aftermath of a war that changed their relationships forever. The opera provides a glimpse inside real hearts and minds before and after one of the Iraq War's biggest battles. The result is an inspiring, mind-opening, and moving opera by Canadian composer, Tobin Stokes and award-winning Iraqi American playwright, Heather Raffo. The opera Fallujah began with a generous grant from Charles Annenberg Weingarten and his organization Explore.Org to City Opera Vancouver. Charles tasked City Opera Vancouver with creating a contemporary opera inspired by the life and work of USMC Sergeant Christian Ellis. Ellis served with the Marines in Fallujah, Iraq in 2004. Award-winning Iraqi-American playwright and Librettist Heather Raffo met Ellis in the winter of 2011. After extensive interviews began the process with composer Tobin Stokes of translating elements of Ellis's wartime experience into the opera Fallujah. The opera had four workshops at City Opera Vancouver. The final workshop in 2012 was filmed as part of the legacy of Explore.Org to use the web to create a portal into the soul of humanity and inspire life-long learning. Over the last four years the opera has had developmental workshops at the Kennedy Center, Georgetown University, Arena Stage, Noor Theater (NYC), The Culture Project (NYC), and was written in part at the McCarter Theater's Sallie B. Goodman Artist Residency. LBO's production presents the world premiere.