A new chamber opera by Joseph C. Phillips, Jr., Four Freedoms is inspired by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1941 "Four Freedoms Speech." While this speech was delivered almost 80 years ago, its four philosophical pillars — freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from fear and freedom from want — still resonate today. Reimagining Norman Rockwell's famous illustrations of these freedoms as scenes from contemporary life, this opera asks us to reflect on our current relationship to these four basic human rights.

Maryland Opera Studio’s (MOS) annual New Work Reading embodies its ongoing dedication to cultivating and performing new work that expands the breadth of operatic repertoire, addresses socially relevant themes and elevates new voices.