VIDEO: A Coffin in Egypt - 6abc Loves the Arts

Taking place in the small town of Egypt, Texas, A Coffin in Egypt explores the life of a 90-year old woman in the twilight of her life.

Myrtle Bledsoe has outlived her husband, her daughter and virtually everyone she knows in this haunting tale of memory, murder, racism and recrimination.

"We developed it for Frederica von Stade, who is one of the great, great singers, in the history of opera," explains David Devan, General Director & President of Opera Philadelphia, "We wanted to write an opera in our chamber space that would really allow a singer to really tap in to their interpretive potential, and occupy a character so this was a real opportunity to develop an opera for a singular artist."

Devan says Von Stade-or Flicka as she is known in opera circles-delivers a performance that allows the audience to genuinely connect and care for her. "She makes this bitter person, understand how someone can become bitter," says Devan, "We root for her to come to peace with her life. And I think it really speaks to all of us. Even though we might not see ourselves explicitly in this character, we certainly see our lives in certain shape of it."

The work is part of Opera Philadelphia's American Repertoire Program, an initiative to develop a new American Opera every year for a decade. Devan says it promises a uniquely personal experience. "It's not like our larger shows at the Academy. It's about a singular artist connecting with people in a very intimate setting, so it's like they're performing in your living room, and that's pretty special."

The opera runs June 6th through the 15th at the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater.

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