Created by Colby professor Arisa White (librettist) and composed by Jessica Jones, Post Pardon: An Opera in Concert is a bold new work that blends avant-garde improvisation, soul-stirring melodies, and a jazz-informed palette of sound. Conducted by Mazz Swift and musically directed by Marshunda Smith, the dynamic cast is led by three outstanding vocalists: Ashley Renée Watkins-Alston, a powerhouse multi-genre artist; Jeannine Anderson, a versatile operatic and theater vocalist; and Kay Patterson, a luminous lyric soprano.

Rooted in African-diasporic spirituality and folklore, Post Pardon tells the story of Willow, a queer activist confronted by the ghost of her estranged mother. Set between the material and spiritual realms — where Elsa, the Bottle Tree, stands as the threshold — Willow is guided by the Sistas (Tulsi, Astragalus, and Reishi), supported by the eco-activist collective Black Azaleas, and inspired by her partner Rosa’s enduring love.

With its themes of gendered and ecological violence, Post Pardon offers a healing invocation — a transgenerational apology in sound. Through poetic language, music, and rich botanical imagery, the opera paints a layered, empathetic portrait of alienation, madness, and the search for wholeness.

Artist Talk: June 7, 2025, at 5:30 PM, Gordon Center, Studio 1. Moderated by Colby alumna Delva King ’77, featuring the opera’s creative team and cast.

Concert: June 7, 2025, at 7:00 PM, Gordon Center, Performance Hall. Reception to follow the concert.

Reserve Free Tickets on Purple Pass: https://www.purplepass.com/events/319545-post-pardon%3A-an-opera-in-concert-jun-7th-2025

Presented by The Arts Office with funding and support provided by The Colby College President’s Office, Provost Office, English Department and Creative Writing Program, Lyons Arts Lab, Lunder Institute for American Art, Center for Arts and Humanities, Cultural Events Committee, Museum of Art, and Dance Company of Middlebury, The Haynesville Project, The Carter Family, Indigo Arts Alliance, Cave Canem Foundation, New England Humanities Consortium, SPACE Gallery—ARP Maine Project Grant, and Maine Arts Commission. Individual donations from Delva King ’77 and Elizabeth Sinclair.