this is not that dawn
During the era of partition when British Colonizers left, and the countries of India and Pakistan were established., this opera focuses on the story of two women, separated during partition. A Hindu woman falls in love with her Muslim neighbor. The other, their daughter is removed and raised in England by her aunt and uncle. The opera bridges time as we see the mother in 1947 and the now adult daughter in the 1970s, who journeys back to India to try to find out what happened to her mother. Dual identity is a major theme of the opera which will be reflected in the music.
Composer, Omar Najmi
Omar Najmi made his compositional debut with the 2019 premiere of his chamber opera "En la ardiente oscuridad" which was a recipient of The Boston Foundation's "Live Arts Boston" grant.
This is not that dawn The Proposal
Curator discussion
Michael Morgan, Alexa Anderson & Mark Streshinsky
Artist Interviews:
This is Not That Dawn
InFocus Issue 9
This Is NOt That Dawn
Get to know them: First Opera Stories
previous work samples
Composer omar najmi introduces The Love duet
Introduction to the final scene from
"this is not that dawn"
Introduces an excerpt from
"En la ardiente oscuridad"
Audio of the love duet from "This is not that dawn"
Audio of the Final scene from "this is not that dawn"
Excerpt from
"En la ardiente oscuridad"
omar najmi Bio:
Omar Najmi is a singer/composer based in Boston. He has performed as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheater with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and he has appeared on the operatic stage with Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Colorado, Opera Saratoga, American Lyric Theater, Chautauqua Opera, Odyssey Opera, Opera Fayetteville, Annapolis Opera, Opera North, Opera Maine, and more.
Omar made his compositional debut with the 2019 premiere of his chamber opera "En la ardiente oscuridad" which was a recipient of The Boston Foundation's "Live Arts Boston" grant.
In addition to writing the music, Omar adapted the libretto from the play by Antonio Buero-Vallejo,
co-produced, and performed in the premiere. En la ardiente oscuridad has since been selected for a new production in 2021 at the Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice.
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First excerpt from This is Not That Dawn
Maya Kherani, soprano; Omar Najmi, tenor; Brendon Shapiro, piano
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Second excerpt from This is Not That Dawn
Maya Kherani, soprano; Sara Womble, soprano; Chelsea Basler, soprano; Felicia Gavilanes,
Mezzo-soprano; Jesse Darden, tenor; David McFerrin, baritone; Brendon Shapiro, piano
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En la Ardiente Oscuridad
Laura Intravia, soprano; Kelley Hollis, soprano; Brendon Shapiro, piano
Director Katy Early, Brendon Shapiro Music Director, Mosesian Center for the Arts, Watertown MA.
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