Composer ~ Sarah Mattox    Librettists ~ Kara Kondo and Sarah Mattox

 

These projects are based on the journal of Kara Matsushita Kondo, who was born in the Yakima Valley of Eastern Washington. Kara and her family were incarcerated at the Heart Mountain internment camp in Wyoming during WWII. Much of the text of the HEART MOUNTAIN projects comes directly from poems and vignettes she wrote while incarcerated.

 

HEART MOUNTAIN OPERA ~ A Chamber Opera in 3 Acts, composed for 7 soloists, piano, violin, and percussion. Running time approximately 2 hours.

 

HEART MOUNTAIN SUITE ~ A suite of selections from the HEART MOUNTAIN chamber opera, adapted for mezzo-soprano soloist, violin, choir, and piano. (An adaptation of the piece for chamber orchestra, choir and soloist is also in the works.) Running time approximately 35 minutes.

 

The opera was commissioned by Vespertine Opera Theater, and presented in workshop performances in July of 2015 under the baton of GRAMMY Award winning conductor, Stephen Stubbs, and directed by Dan Wallace Miller. Special thanks to the Yakima Valley Historical Museum and the family of Kara Kondo.