Guerilla Opera, an multidisciplinary artist-run opera cooperative based in Boston, will be at the University of Maine March 4-5, preparing for the premiere of UMaine School of Performing Arts professor Beth Wiemann’s new work “I Give You My Home” in June. This residency is a collaboration between Guerilla Opera, UMaine’s School of Performing Arts and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies units, and the Nichols House Museum of Boston. The opera is based on the life of the architect, suffragette and peace activist Rose Standish Nichols (1872–1960).

The residency includes a presentation by artistic director Aliana de la Guardia on contemporary opera (March 4, 1 p.m.), a vocal master class open to the public by dela Guardia (March 4, 4 p.m.) and a public performance of Wiemann’s piece (March 5, 7:30 p.m.), with most residency events taking place in Minsky Recital Hall. These public events will follow current UMaine COVID protocols, and are presented free of charge.

In a collaboration with UMaine’s Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Program, guest scholar Mona Siegel (California State University, Sacramento) will give an April 11 talk on the World War I-era Women’s Peace Movement that was a passion of Rose Standish Nichols.

The Guerilla Opera events and Siegel’s visit are funded by UMaine’s Cultural Affairs/Distinguished Lecture Series Fund, the Clement and Linda McGillicuddy Humanities Center, the UMaine Arts Initiative and the Hamm Campus Fund.

For more information, visit https://umaine.edu/spa/event/guerilla-opera-residency/ or contact brian.jansen@maine.edu.