About
Using a variety of modern text sources, the tragic 1998 death of Matthew Shepard is revisited through this contemporary oratorio. Matthew Shepard was a young gay man whose brutal murder was motivated by hate and his killers were convicted of a hate crime. His death gained an international response and was pivotal in the addition of sexuality to the definition of hate crimes in America.
Using several current musical genres and a choir accompanied by a small chamber orchestra with modern orchestration, this work demonstrates how music can be used as an instrument for hope and change. The libretto for this work uses a variety of current texts including poetry, dialogue and prose. It is a fantastic example of using art to address important social issues, and the HPO is proud to partner with the Elora Singers to bring this message to students in the Greater Hamilton Area.
It is important to note that the show deals with sensitive subject matter and has some offensive language. This show is recommended for Secondary students only. We will be providing a robust pre-concert teacher resource package to help teachers prepare their students for the show, and a sample letter that can be sent home with permission forms.
To book this concert for your class, please contact Music Education Manager Megan Benjafield at mbenjafield@hpo.org.