JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE
JuNE 18, 2027 | 7:30 PM
JUNE 20, 2027 | 3:00 PM
Music Hall • springer auditorium
Music by Maria Thompson Corley
Libretto by Diana Solomon-Glover
Sung in English with projected lyrics
FAITH. CONSCIENCE. COURAGE.
Librettist Diana Solomon-Glover and composer Maria Thompson Corley weave together the heartwarming, heroic story of a boy from humble beginnings, armored only in his belief in “The Beloved Community,” who put his life on the line to secure the right to vote for all Americans. The opera weaves together two perspectives—Lewis as a young man, catalyzing the 1960s fight for civil rights, and Lewis as an elder statesman in 2012, considered to be the conscience of Congress by many on both sides of the aisle. Through it all, Lewis charged his successors and colleagues to come together to create a more just world.
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE
Tickets are currently available as part of a 2027 Summer Festival season ticket package and include up to a 15% savings over single tickets, plus great perks like free ticket exchanges, exclusive invitations, access to pre-paid parking, and more.
groups of 10+ save 20%
Group tickets may be pre-ordered with convenient payment terms. Any group of 10+ individuals can save 20% and enjoy concierge-level service. To learn more about group ticket options, email tickets@cincinnatiopera.org, or call Becca McNay at 513-768-5517.
the black opera project
John Lewis: Good Trouble is the second work in Cincinnati Opera’s groundbreaking, three-opera commissioning initiative, The Black Opera Project, that engages creators to develop new works celebrating Black stories.
CAST & creative team
Willa Mae / Congresswoman / Student – Sirgourney Cook
Diane Nash / Older Sister – Victoria Okafor
Younger John Lewis – Freddie Ballentine
Elder John Lewis – Kevin Short
Lillian Miles Lewis – Marietta Simpson
Eddie Lewis / Jim Forman – Ron Dukes
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. / James Lawson / Jailer – Markel Reed
James Bevel / Older Brother – Andrew Turner
Conductor – Everett McCorvey
Stage Director/Dramaturg – Timothy Douglas
Scenic Designer – Anthony Cisek
Costume Designer – Trevor Bowen
Lighting Designer – Thomas C. Hase
SCENES FROM THE WORKSHOP
In October 2025, Opera Fusion: New Works, the unique collaborative effort by Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, presented a public performance of musical excerpts from John Lewis: Good Trouble, as the culmination of a week-long workshop of the piece with composer Maria Thompson Corley, librettist Diana Solomon-Glover, conductor Everett McCorvey, and stage directory/dramaturg Timothy Douglas.
Photos by Philip Groshong
DISCOVER MORE
Opera Insights
Enhance your appreciation of John Lewis: Good Trouble with a pre-curtain talk one hour before each performance in Music Hall's Corbett Tower. Members of the artistic staff and/or guests offer a 30-minute overview and insights into the opera's history, music, and production. Free to all ticket holders. No reservations required.
Meet the Composer
Maria Thompson Corley
Maria Thompson Corley is a composer, arranger, pianist, educator, poet, author, voice actor, and recording artist. She has performed on stages across North and Central America, the Caribbean, and Europe. Her compositions and arrangements span art song, choral and solo vocal music, chamber music, spirituals, and opera and have been commissioned by ensembles and institutions worldwide.
MEET THE LIBRETTIST
Diana Solomon-Glover
Diana Solomon-Glover’s artistic talents, showcased on the operatic stage, in concert, oratorio, recital, musical theater, cabaret, and on radio and television across the United States, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, and Central America, have long been devoted to serving humanitarian and social justice efforts.
Presenting Sponsor:
SUSAN & JOSEPH PICHLER
Commissioning Sponsor:
Production Sponsors:
Additional Support Provided by:
Artwork by Brandon Breaux