Opera Birmingham is proud to present The Diary of Anne Frank by Russian composer Grigory Frid, based on the text from the original diary written between 1942 and 1944.  This opera shares a moving self-portrait of a young girl, full of spirit and courage and an unending hope for freedom.

The Diary of Anne Frank is a monodrama for soprano and chamber orchestra of nine instruments. The opera follows a teenaged Anne Frank as her family hides in a warehouse annex until their arrest by the Nazis.  She describes the people and the scenery she can see from her window. She lays bare her hopes, dreams and emotions as she navigates her teenage years in hiding.  The opera was composed in 1968 and consists of 21 brief scenes; originally written in Russian, the libretto was translated into English in 1991.

Accessibility Services

Production

Lydia Cheney and James Sokol
Lisa and Allen Engel
Marjorie Perlman
Don Hess
Regions

Education

The Birmingham Jewish Federation
The Rachel & Arthur Herschthal Fund at the Birmingham Jewish Foundation
Alabama Holocaust Education Center

Musical Ensemble

Michael Levine

ASL Interpreters

For the 2024-2025 season, sponsored by Michael J. and Mary Anne Freeman

Student tickets

Supported by The Caring Foundation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.

Additional sponsors

The 2024-2025 season has been made possible, in part, by grants from the Alabama Power Foundation, Alabama State Council on the Arts, The Daniel Foundation, Hugh Kaul Foundation, Regions, and by countless generous individuals.

Alabama Media Group is the Official Media Sponsor of Opera Birmingham.

Special Thanks

John Manzelli and the staff at the Dorothy Jemison Day Theater at the Alabama School of Fine Arts.

Kathleen Farrar Buccleugh

Soprano Kathleen Farrar Buccleugh, acclaimed for her "light, pure tone" and versatile performances, is honored to perform the role of Anne Frank with Maestro Lester Seigel, our wonderful orchestra, and the excellent team that makes everything happen behind the scenes. Upcoming engagements include a concert with tenor Caleb Clark at Terrific New Theatre on April 27, followed by Mozart's Requiem with the Montgomery Chorale under James Seay on May 4. Recent performance highlights include Young Alyce in Glory Denied with Permian Basin Opera, featured soloist appearances with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra's Tunes on Tap concert and Opera Birmingham's spring 2024 concert. Additional engagements include Music4Romania's benefit concert, Saint-Saëns' Christmas Oratorio, a solo recital for Cathedral Church of the Advent's concert series, and Mozart's Requiem. For more, follow her at KathleenFarrarBuccleugh.com, or on Instagram @kbuccleugh.

Matt Reynolds

Matt Reynolds serves as Associate Professor of Lighting, Sound, & Digital Design at The University of Alabama. In addition to UA, New Mexico State University, Michigan State University (M.F.A. ’12),and Indiana University (B.A. ’08),his work has been enjoyed internationally at Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Casa de la Cultura de Tulum; Off-Broadway at 59E59 Theatre and Anita’s Way; and regionally at South Carolina Children’s Theatre, Actor’s Express, Horizon Theatre, Red Mountain Theatre Company, and Phoenix Theatre, among others. Matt has also designed for fantastic choreographers such as George Pinney, Jin Wen Yu, Shoko Tamai, Bella Lewitzky, Debra Knapp, Sherrie Barr, and Iris Rosa. Matt strives through theatrical design to amplify marginalized voices and tell compelling stories. As an instructor, Matt encourages experimentation, self-reflection, and most importantly, play. Matt dedicates his life to his loving wife of 23 years, Mollie, and his kids Lucy and Hugo. MattReynoldsDesigns.com