Madison, Wi. – Madison Opera continues its 2025/26 season with the world premiere of Everlasting Faint, with music by Scott Gendel and libretto by Sandra Flores-Strand. Based on the true story of the Greenbrier Ghost, Everlasting Faint has performances on February 13 at 7:30pm and February 15 at 2:30pm in the Capitol Theater.
In 1897 in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, a young woman named Elva is found dead in her home. Her husband, Trout, will not allow the doctor to examine the body, so the doctor declares the death to be of natural causes – an “everlasting faint.” Elva’s mother Mary is not convinced by this diagnosis. Elva’s ghost appears to her multiple times, telling her the truth of what happened: that Trout broke her neck. Steadfast in her faith, Mary embarks on a journey to find out the truth and ultimately find justice for her daughter. Along the way, deep secrets are uncovered, and a community must wrestle with what happens behind closed doors.
Everlasting Faint is inspired by the historical events of the Greenbrier Ghost, a real murder and court case that is considered the only time in the U.S. that the testimony of a ghost helped convict someone of
murder.
The opera was written by Madison-based composer Scott Gendel and librettist Sandra Flores-Strand and was
workshopped at UW-Madison in 2023. Gendel has written many choral works, chamber music pieces, and song cycles, which have been performed and recorded around the U.S.; Everlasting Faint is his first full-length opera. The score ranges from folk-song inspired choruses to dramatic arias, ghostly melodies, a drinking song, and large-scale ensembles, as everyone in the community gives voice to their emotions.
“The world premiere of Everlasting Faint marks an important moment for Madison Opera,” says General Director
Kathryn Smith. “Scott’s beautiful music and Sandra’s thrilling storytelling will have audiences on the edge of their seats. I am so incredibly proud to produce this opera.”
“I can’t wait to see all that I’ve imagined in my head for four years come vividly to life with this incredible cast and
creative team assembled by Madison Opera, and to hear it all accompanied by the Madison Symphony,” says composer Scott Gendel. “Sandra and I wrote this opera to be what I’ve always wanted in new operas: deeply emotional, exciting, with the big dramatic sweep and beautiful melodic singing of the classic operas people know and love, but in a distinctively 21st century American style that engages with important issues of our time in an entertaining and heartfelt way.”
The large cast features a number of returning Madison Opera performers. Mary Heaster, whose journey to find justice
for her daughter is the heart of the opera, is sung by Katherine Pracht, who debuted with the company as Charlotte in A Little Night Music. Trout Shue, the villain of the piece, is sung by Andrew Bidlack, who has sung Tamino in The Magic Flute and at Opera in the Park last summer. Martha Jones, the Shues’ neighbor, is sung by Emily Birsan, who most recently sang Rusalka for the company. Alan Dunbar returns as Dr. Knapp and Robert A. Goderich returns as Mr.Gardner, the defense attorney; both were most recently in Candide. The company’s Studio Artists all have roles:
Alexandra Burch and Madison Barrett as Allie and Lucy, two previous wives of Trout Shue, and Ryan Nash and Lifan
Deng as David Gassaway and Gregory Snodegar, two of Trout’s drinking buddies.
Making their debuts are Tori Tedeschi Adams as Elva, the murdered woman; Matthew Treviño as John Preston, the
prosecutor; and Oliver Thornburgh as Andy Jones, the young boy who discovers Elva’s body. The Madison Opera Chorus is a vital part of the production, creating this rural West Virginia community.
Keturah Stickann returns to direct, after leading Salome and Rusalka for the company. The production is designed by
Court Watson (scenic), Karen Brown-Larimore (costumes), and Matt Taylor (lighting), evoking the small Appalachian
town. Stephanie Rhodes Russell, who recently conducted The Marriage of Figaro at Madison Opera, leads the musical
forces, with members of the Madison Symphony Orchestra playing Gendel’s score.
The opera will be sung in English with projected text.
Performances:
Friday, February 13, 2026 • 7:30pm
Sunday, February 15, 2026 • 2:30pm
Capitol Theater, Overture Center for the
Arts
Box Office:
201 State St. Madison, WI
608.258.4141
www.madisonopera.org
Tickets:
Start under $35
Student and group discounts available
Madison Opera | p: 608.238.8085 | 335 W. Mifflin St. Madison, WI 53703 | madisonopera.org
Published on January 8, 2026
