Shakespeare Opera Theatre

08/14/2026

08/10/2026

And you thought Opera was long 😄

Babe wake up, new chord just dropped! 🎹

Organ2/ASLSP, ‘As Slow as Possible’ is a keyboard work written by American avant-garde composer John Cage in the mid-1980s.

The score consists of eight pages of music, to be played on the piano or organ very slowly. It often takes over an hour to complete the work. In 2009, organist Diane Luchese gave a rendition that lasted for 14 hours and 56 minutes, while in 2022, Dr. Christopher Anderson from Southern Methodist University gave a 16-hour performance of the work.

Those performances are eclipsed by the one currently being played on a custom-built organ at St. Burchardi Church in Halberstadt, Germany. The Halberstadt performance began in 2001 with a scheduled duration of 639 years, ending in the year 2640. It the second longest running piece currently being performed, after Jem Finer of The Pogues' 'Longplayer', which is set to last 1,000 years.

The most recent note was played on February 5, 2024. The chord that had been sustained for two years (C, D-flat, D-sharp, E, A-sharp and E) became (C, D-flat, D, D-sharp, E, A-sharp and E), with a D note added. Today, an A note will be added to the chord.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3RQHQEL

08/10/2026

The final review for our summer of American opera gems! "Lind’s direction cleverly took advantage of the venue’s intimate space to emphasize the opera’s themes. The set design fit the Polks’ front porch, the church, and the creek in a condensed space, reinforcing the claustrophobic nature of the geographically isolated and religiously devout New Hope Valley. Lind’s immersive staging had the church ladies wind through the cabaret-style table seating, close enough for the audience to hear their whispering, driving home the viciousness of the backlash against Susannah."

Shakespeare Opera Theatre presented two American operas exploring themes of hypocrisy and deception — in a church!

08/03/2026

Kristine Overman as Susannah, July 2026 • American Opera Gems • America 250
New Season Announcement now at our website: Shakespeareoperatheatre.com
Shakespeare Opera Theatre Virginia Commission for the Arts ArtsFairfax Vocal Arts of Fairfax St. Thomas Episcopal Church, McLean, VA Fairfax County 250th Commemoration Visit Fairfax

07/28/2026

Announcing our 2026-27 Season! December: Menotti's perennial Christmas favorite, Amahl and the Night Visitors with the Virginia Ballet, January/February • Winter Nights Recitals; vocal chamber music at its finest • April: Murder in the Cathedral, T.S. Eliot's riveting verse-drama arranged with Medieval music • And finally, our signature *Big Shakespeare Show* in July 2027, Verdi's unrivaled comic masterpiece based on The Bard's Fat Knight trilogy. Coming soon: season ticket discounts and priority seating with subscription membership. Auditions: September 19th, 2026 at Hudson Hall at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, McLean, VA. Submission info on the website: Shakespeareoperatheatre.com

07/16/2026

Another great Susannah review- https://operatoday.com/2026/07/nail-biting-susannah-at-shakespeare-opera-theatre/
St. Thomas Episcopal Church, McLean, VA Shakespeare Opera Theatre Virginia Commission for the Arts ArtsFairfax