Opera Parallèle
Z Space, 450 Florida St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Saturday, November 14 @ 7:30 PM
Special UC Berkeley Grad Student Price: $30 (you may bring one guest @ guest price)
An Operatic Experience Rooted in Gullah-Geechee Spirituals
Co-Created by Victor Ryan Robertson and Brian Staufenbiel
World Premiere
What do we carry from those who came before us?
Opening Opera Parallèle's 17th season, Salt & Spirit is a powerful world premiere inspired by the enduring musical traditions of the Gullah-Geechee people of the Carolinas. Rooted in a rare collection of nineteenth-century spirituals and reimagined through vibrant contemporary arrangements that blend classical, jazz, and traditional influences, Salt & Spirit is an unforgettable theatrical experience.
Co-created by acclaimed tenor Victor Ryan Robertson and Opera Parallèle Creative Director Brian Staufenbiel, Salt & Spirit celebrates a culture whose songs preserve memory, identity, and hope across generations. More than a performance, it is an act of remembrance—revealing how music can safeguard history, strengthen community, and carry stories that refuse to be forgotten.
Rich with soaring voices, evocative imagery, and spoken word, Salt & Spirit honors the resilience of the Gullah-Geechee people while inviting audiences to reflect on the legacies we inherit and the stories we choose to pass forward.