Opera Grand Rapids invites audiences to experience Three Decembers, a chamber opera composed by Jake Heggie with a libretto by Gene Scheer November 6 and 7 at the Betty Van Andel Opera Center. Part of the company’s 2026–27 season, Unconventional Women, the production brings audiences into an intimate story of family, memory, and the complicated relationships that shape our lives.
Based on Terrence McNally’s play Some Christmas Letters, Three Decembers follows celebrated Broadway actress Madeline Mitchell and her two adult children, Charlie and Beatrice, across three decades. Set during December of 1986, 1996, and 2006, the opera unfolds through a series of family letters, revealing years of distance, unresolved tensions, and long-held secrets.
As Madeline navigates her career and personal life, her children build lives of their own, separated by geography and increasingly complicated family dynamics. Moving between New York City, San Francisco, and Hartford, Connecticut, the story explores the ways family members hold onto the past while searching for understanding and connection.
With music by Jake Heggie, known for his emotionally expressive and character-driven operas, and a libretto by Gene Scheer, Three Decembers combines lyrical storytelling with a deeply personal musical landscape. The chamber opera offers an intimate theatrical experience, bringing the audience closer to the characters and their evolving relationships.
The Opera Grand Rapids production is directed by Guest Artistic Director Cara Consilvio, with Chaowen Ting conducting. The cast features Heather Johnson as Madeline, Amanda Sheriff as Beatrice (Bea), and Brian James Myer as Charlie.
“Three Decembers is a deeply moving story about family, memory, and the relationships that shape us,” said Emilee Shen, Executive Director of Opera Grand Rapids. “Paired with Jake Heggie’s beautiful music, this intimate production offers audiences a chance to connect with these characters in a meaningful way. We’re excited to share it with West Michigan audiences.”
For more information, visit www.operagr.org.
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