Flight

Music by Jonathan Dove Libretto by April de Angelis Directed by Brian Staufenbiel Conducted by Nicole Paiment Based on actual events — the forced residence, from 1988 to 2006, of Iranian refugee Mehran Karimi Nasseri at Charles de Gaulle airport — Jonathan Dove’s opera Flight is a cynical comedy about what it means to be stranded. The refugee, tailed by an Immigration Officer, is surrounded by a variety of colorful characters: a couple on vacation, East European diplomats, a steward and a stewardess, an enigmatic older woman, an air traffic controller. While there are many moments of humor, Flight is also an exploration of the many faces of love: the struggle to re-ignite passion in an aging relationship, healing from the great loss of a loved one, and wondering how to be loved with the profound changes that come with parenthood.