UK Opera Theatre presents world premiere of ‘A Nation of Others’
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 16, 2026) — The University of Kentucky Opera Theatre presents the world premiere of “A Nation of Others,” an American opera by Pulitzer Prize-winning team Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell, March 6-8, at the Lexington Opera House.
Set in and around the Ellis Island Immigration Inspection Station on a single day in 1921, “A Nation of Others” offers a moving portrayal of the courage and determination of those who journeyed to America in search of opportunity and freedom through Ellis Island.
To ensure that the opera was authentic, four members of the production team visited Ellis Island last summer in preparation for this production, and the UK opera staff visited in December. Everett McCorvey, D.M.A., director of opera, and Megh Jennings-Posner, UK Opera Theatre program coordinator spent a frigid winter afternoon touring the facility and walking the halls through which 12 million individuals passed on their journey to America.
“There was something almost sacred about getting off the ferry on Ellis Island, where my great grandmother arrived 113 years ago to begin my family’s story in the United States,” Jennings-Posner said. “It moved me to tears.”
“Visiting Ellis Island was an experience that I will never forget,” McCorvey said. “Experiencing what the immigrants might have felt as we walked through the military-like halls, the sterile buildings and the hospital, which housed some who never made it to American soil, gave me a real sense of empathy for the immigrants and what they had to go through to get to America. We visited during December and it was cold, lonely, frightful and hopeful, all at the same time. So many of the windows faced Mother Liberty, which I’m sure gave the immigrants incredible hope for a better day in America.”
Sung in English with English and Spanish supertitles with a 70-minute runtime, “A Nation of Others,” captures a pivotal moment in American history through intimate personal narratives. Directed by Metropolitan Opera stage director Sarah Ina Meyers and conducted by McCorvey, this production brings together the Pulitzer Prize winning team behind “Sanctuary Road.” Each performance will be followed by a talkback with members of the cast and creative team.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7; and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 8. Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com, or by calling the Central Bank Center ticket office at 859-233-3535 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. All phone orders include a per ticket service fee.
“A Nation of Others” is presented as part of “Telling America's Stories,” an ongoing initiative of UK Opera Theatre dedicated to amplifying overlooked American narratives in operatic repertoire. Published by Subito Music Corporation, “A Nation of Others” is produced in collaboration with the Save Ellis Island Foundation. The “Telling America’s Stories” series began with the spring 2025 production of “Sanctuary Road.” UK Opera Theatre will continue this initiative with “Rappahannock County” by Ricky Ian Gordon for its 2026-27 installment.
For more information about the production, visit https://finearts.uky.edu/music/events/nation-others.
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