Eugene Opera concludes its 2024–25 season with the contemporary dramatic opera Dark Sisters, composed by Nico Muhly with a libretto by Stephen Karam. Performances will take place May 30 and 31 at the Wildish Theater in Springfield.

Inspired by the 2008 raid on the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) compound in Schleicher County, Texas—where hundreds of children were taken into protective custody due to allegations of abuse, including the forced marriage of teenage girls—Dark Sisters follows a fictional polygamous family of five sister wives grappling with the loss of their children. The crisis prompts one wife to question her faith and identity, ultimately leading her to attempt an escape from the only life she’s known.

In conjunction with the production, Eugene Opera has organized a community panel discussion, “Shedding Light on Dark Sisters,” featuring experts from law, journalism, philosophy, and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, alongside representatives from local service organizations such as Hope and Safety Alliance and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).

Topics of discussion will include: patriarchy, polygamy, child marriage, domestic abuse, religious liberty versus child protection, the role of journalism in whistleblowing, and opera as a vehicle for marginalized voices and personal expression.

The 90-minute event will take place on Monday, May 19, at 6:30 PM at Emmaus Lutheran Church’s Fellowship Hall (1250 W 18th Ave, Eugene). The evening will include panelist presentations, a group discussion, and an audience Q&A. The panel will be moderated by Jennifer Reynolds, Dean of the University of Oregon School of Law.