Ned Rorem, composer
Gertrude Stein, libbretist

Come stay up late with Ned Rorem’s Three Sisters Who Are Not Sisters. With a libretto by Gertrude Stein, the opera follows five children as their make-believe game of murder blurs the line between reality and playing pretend. Whether the events of this comedy are real or not…well, wait and see.

Jenny, Helen, and Ellen are not sisters. Samuel and Sylvester are brothers. Very much so, in fact. The five need something to do, so they decide to play a game of murder. This non-linear murder mystery tells their story as they try and decipher who is killing who, or if anyone is even dead at all. As the night continues, the children assume different characters, all the while getting closer to finding out who is the murderer.

With Three Sisters Who Are Not Sisters, OperaTerps makes its return to the stage, highlighting the skills, talents, and dedication of the University of Maryland’s undergraduates. Join them as they start the semester with a winter production that showcases the storytelling power of surreal and modernist music.