Aurora joins the cast of “The Unknowable” playing Edith Brookenberg

Libretto and Music by Benjamin T. Rossen,

with additional music by Hector Berlioz and Gustav Mahler

Directed by Haley Stark

Choreographed by Emily Parker

Music Directed by Benjamin T. Rossen

In February 2024, we will be introducing audiences in Sanders Theatre to a brand-new work, The Unknowable. After the roaring artistic success of Benjy Wenzelberg's award-winning composition Nighttown in 2022, LHO is excited to continue our commitment to student-written, student-driven works like this one by Lowell House Opera Executive Director, Benjamin T. Rossen '23.

The Unknowable is an innovative yet classic combination of opera and ballet -- a genre that has been rarely seen on stage since the 18th century. The Unknowable tells the story of a young ballerina who questions her notions of success and happiness in the face of a demoralizing reality, addressing the timeless question of how best to live in and yet also serve the world. In his work, Benjamin T. Rossen pulls in modern moods, feelings, and dilemmas while creatively incorporating emotive classical pieces by Berlioz and Mahler. Emily Parker, a veteran, professional ballerina from the Oregon Ballet Theatre, is masterfully choreographing the show to make the audience members challenge their personal conceptions of achievement.