Opera “The Camp” (L to R): Steve Moritsugu, Habin Kim, Tiffany Ho, Alexandra Bass, Roberto Perlas Gómez, and Sarah Z. Wang. Photo by Angel Origgi
A new opera about an American family wrongfully imprisoned in 1942 and the power of collective resistance to injustice.
Four Performances
Saturday, February 22, 2025 - 7:30 pm
Sunday, February 23, 2025 - 2:30 pm
Saturday, March 1, 2025 - 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 2, 2025 - 2:30 pm
JACCC Aratani Theatre, Los Angeles
244 South San Pedro Street, Los Angeles
Tickets ($20-85) at https://jaccc.org/events/the-camp-an-opera-in-two-acts/
The Camp, a powerful new opera about the wrongful imprisonment of Japanese Americans during World War II, makes its world premiere at the JACCC Aratani Theatre in Los Angeles. With performances on February 22, 23, March 1, and 2, 2025, the production tells the story of the Shimono family, who are forcibly removed from their home and sent to an incarceration camp.
Created by librettist Lionelle Hamanaka and composer Daniel Kessner, The Camp highlights the resilience of those affected and the power of collective resistance. The opera features an intergenerational cast led by Roberto Perlas Gómez and Tiffany Ho, with music conducted by Steven F. Hofer. Directed by Diana Wyenn, the production includes a distinguished creative team and a 22-member orchestra.
Tickets ($20–$85) are available at JACCC.org.
Daniel Kessner is a composer of Ukrainian Jewish heritage whose works have been performed over 1,000 times. Growing up near Los Angeles' Little Tokyo after World War II, he became deeply aware of the incarceration of Japanese Americans through his friends and their families. His experience, including visits to the Manzanar incarceration camp, inspired him to compose The Camp, which he sees as a culmination of his career.
Lionelle Hamanaka is a New York-based playwright and a Sansei (third-generation Japanese American) whose parents were incarcerated at the Jerome camp in Arkansas. Her work focuses on the legacy of the WWII incarceration, connecting past injustices to contemporary issues of racism and anti-immigrant sentiment. Collaborating with Kessner, she drew from real-life experiences to craft the libretto for The Camp, aiming to highlight the resilience and shared humanity of those affected.
The Camp is presented in partnership with the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) and produced by Plain Wood Productions and Kessner Music, with associate producers Helen Ota, Katharine Means, and Quinn O’Connor.
