Lansdale Native, North Penn Alum Composes Hit Show Coming to Opera Philadelphia

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Composer Missy Mazzoli grew up in Lansdale and attended North Penn High School. Photo courtesy of Marylene Mey.

maxresdefaultThe latest opera coming to Philadelphia ventures a little beyond the typical shore in its world premiere, but some of the stars of “Breaking the Waves” couldn’t be much closer to home.

The hit show coming to Opera Philadelphia five times from Sept. 22 to Oct. 1 was composed by Lansdale native and North Penn High School graduate Missy Mazzoli.

Now a Brooklyn resident, Mazzoli attended the Yale School of Music, the Royal Conservatory of the Hague, and Boston University.

The storyline “tackles huge ideas on … the nature of loyalty and faith and goodness,” Mazzoli said in a Ticket to Entertainment preview by Brian Bingaman. “I’m attracted to complicated characters — particularly female characters. They’re not wholly good, not wholly bad.”

Taking the Opera Philadelphia starring role is soprano Kiera Duffy, who grew up in Springfield (Delaware County) and Downingtown and graduated from Bishop Shanahan High School.

Duffy said she’s thrilled “to be doing such an awesome project in my hometown,” even if her year-old baby isn’t sleeping through the night.

The curtain will rise on the new production at the Perelman Theater in the Kimmel Center.

Click here to read more about the Opera Philadelphia show and its leading roles in Ticket to Entertainment.

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