First Coast Opera: The Stranger's Tale

First Coast Opera and the Romanza Festivale present a free performance of The Stranger's Tale, on Friday, May 17, 2024, at noon, at the Ancient City Baptist Church.

Funded in part by the Romanza Festivale of the Arts and by the National Endowment for the Arts, this opera premiered in 2005 with an original libretto by Nelson Sheeley. First Coast Opera's Artistic Director, Curtis Tucker, wrote additional music for the production.

Described as a "story of faith and hope," and written as a companion piece to Stravinsky's L'historie du soldat (A Soldier's Tail,) The Stranger's Tale focuses on modern homelessness and its impact on the unhoused and their communities. Using drama and music, set in a park near a park bench, the entire piece is centered on an unnamed man who is experiencing homelessness.

At the 2005 premiere, reviewers said that the writing was sincere, the music accessible, and that it was a hit with the audience. 

Admission: Free

When: Friday, May 17, 2024 at noon.

Where: Ancient City Baptist Church, 27 Sevilla Street, St. Augustine, Florida.

First Coast Opera will accept donations at this event to benefit the Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County.

This event is part of the Romanza Festivale of Music and the Arts, an annual festival of two weeks of historical, cultural, and creative events celebrating all things St. Augustine. From May 3 -19, the nation's oldest city will be jam-packed with music and dance concerts, living history events and historical tours, live theater, and art exhibits. To find out more about the two weeks of events, visit here.