FULL FAVORITE SON A Folk Opera (Hammon) Nashville 2023 John Riesen, Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva, Emma Grimsley
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Favorite Son
- Composer: Hammon Marcus
- Libretto: Marcus Hammon Libretto Text, Libretto Index
- Venue & Opera Company: Noah Liff Opera Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Recorded: January 2023
- Type: Staged Opera Live
- Singers: John Riesen, Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva, Emma Grimsley
- Conductor: Steve Kummer
- Orchestra: The Nashville Opera Combo
- Chorus Master: Amy Tate Williams
- Stage Director: John Hoomes
- Stage Designer: Cara Schneider
- Costume Designer: June Kingsbury
- Lighting Designer: Barry Steele
Information about the Recording
- Published by: Nashville Opera
- TV Director: Amthony Popolo
- Date Published: 2023
- Format: Streaming
- Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
- Subtitles: nosubs
- Video Recording from: Nashville Opera FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
The storyline is extracted from Hummon’s song of the same name, “Favorite Son,” and takes more of a personal slant than many of his previous compositions. The opera is based on a character who was once a big deal and has been humbled by life and is trying to find his way through it.
“The story is about a kid who is a high school football player. The opening scene is his glory. I was a running back in high school and I had a coach who gave us a speech that I never forgot. One thing he said is that you don’t get to choose what you remember in life. Your memories choose you. He basically imparted on us whether you like it or not you are going to remember what you are going to do today, so you might as well go out there and lay it on the line.”
Quote from Tenessean