News Archives - White Snake Projects

Thanks for Celebrating with us 🥰

Dear Friends of White Snake Projects: We are still heady from the gorgeous performances of Let’s Celebrate!, at WGBH’s Calderwood Studio. What a show! It… Read More

Cerise Jacobs on All Things Considered

Founding artist director of White Snake Projects and opera-maker Cerise Jacobs was featured on GBH’s All Things Considered this week with host Arun Rath. Read More

I Am A Dreamer Gets Pittsburgh Premiere

I Am A Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams is back! YAY! It’s opening in Pittsburgh October 14-16 and I cannot wait… Read More

We Did It!

Dear Friends of White Snake Projects: We did it! We completed our three performance run of Cosmic Cowboy with no casualties to Covid-19 (thank you… Read More

Announcing White Snake Project’s 2022/23 Season

Thanks to a recently announced $750k grant from the Mellon Foundation, Cerise Jacobs and her activist opera company, White Snake Projects (WSP), are pleased… Read More

WSP Celebrates AAPI Heritage Month

Dear Friends of White Snake Projects: This month, America celebrates AAPI Heritage Month. For those of us who identify as Asian American or Pacific… Read More

White Snake Projects Wins $750,000 Mellon Grant

On the heels of their performances of Sing Out Strong: Remembered Voices, a musical commemoration of the overwhelming number of lives lost to… Read More

SOS: Remembered Voices Program Book

Michael, Max and Me

Remembering Michael Johnson From his wife, Sandra Johnson I met Michael online He was in the Bronx I was in Brazil… Read More

Prison Lawyer

Remembering Eric William Warner By Hank Warner We grew up collecting pollywogs after big rains Eric and I Adventuring new horizons on… Read More

A Nap-By-The-Beach Kind of Guy

Remembering Mohammad Jawed By his daughters, Ghazal, Hannah and Fareen Our dad was born in Pakistan He became a doctor and settled… Read More

I Was Doing Time, Time Was Not Doing Me

Remembering Darrell Billy Parks By Trena Parks I was doing time, time was not doing me . . . I accepted my sentence, an… Read More

Blues Man

Remembering Wade Hickam From his family and the Moe Ribbs Blues Band (Rich Greenberg, co-founder) Wade Hickam picked up a guitar When he… Read More

I’m Sorry, I’m Sorry . . .

Remembering Hisaki Araya By Masaki Araya “I’m sorry, I’m sorry “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” you said As our mother nursed her forehead… Read More

The Woman Who Tried to Fly

Remembering Dr. Nola Mae Moore From the Moore family Nola Mae Moore, our fierce and beloved mother Championed patient and physicians’ rights She… Read More

He Loved His Red Fusquinha

Remembering Celio Salgueiro From his daughter, Joselia Reis Dinaj Composer: Jon Grier My father, Celio Salgueiro Came to the America,1982, a… Read More

Rancher Raymond’s Last Sunset

Remembering Raymond Reeves From the Reeves’ family Composer: Robert Howard Our Dad Raymond led a storybook life, A proud Texas rancher A… Read More

Sunday Dinners

By Leslie Lamar Parker Composer: Dorian Wallace When great-grandmother died… When Little Mama, she died. Great-grandmother died… So did her Sunday dinners… Read More

White Snake Projects Presents “Sing Out Strong: Remembered Voices,” Tributes from Families Who Lost Loved Ones to COVID (March 11)

Since the start of the pandemic, Cerise Jacobs and her activist opera company, White Snake Projects,… Read More

Founder Cerise Lim Jacobs Named One of Musical America’s Top 30 Professionals for 2021

White Snake Project’s founder and executive producer, Cerise Lim Jacobs, was named one of Musical America’s “Top 30 Professionals of the… Read More

White Snake Projects Presents Sing Out Strong: Incarcerated Voices, Including Writers from Virtual Opera Death by Life (Press Release)

Galvanized by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May of 2020, Cerise Jacobs and her activist opera company, White Snake Projects,… Read More

Sing Out Strong: Incarcerated Voices, “MUSIC”

MUSIC Text by Sarah Allen, music by Sarah Taylor Ellis I hear a song, such a sad, sad song, yet beneath… Read More

Sing Out Strong: Incarcerated Voices, “FEATHER”

FEATHER Text by Dana P.R. Schultze, music by Johanny Navarro A single feather fell from my ceiling I certainly was not expecting that… Read More

Sing Out Strong: Incarcerated Voices, “Gambler’s Remorse”

Gambler’s Remorse Text by Devon Terrell, music by Andrew Conklin Whisper me a secret lyric grind the melody with my bones let… Read More

Sing Out Strong: Incarcerated Voices, “El Reno”

EL RENOText by Terry Hedin, music by SiHyun Uhm * El Reno Federal Correctional Institution in Oklahoma is a transfer center… Read More

Sing Out Strong: Incarcerated Voices, “All of Us, In Prison”

All of Us, In Prison Text by Jevon Jackson, music by Adore Alexander Some prisons are pistol-thick,core-earth dense… Read More

Sing Out Strong: Incarcerated Voices, “salsa meditation”

salsa meditation Text by Hal Cobb, music by Drew Amendola my hands will smell for days of onions, garlic and jalapeños… Read More

Sing Out Strong: Incarcerated Voices, “writing = survival”

Writing = survival Text by Joseph Dole, music by Patricio Molina Writing = survival. I write to release anger. I… Read More

Sing Out Strong: Incarcerated Voices, “A Brick in my Cell”

A Brick in my Cell Text by Shareaf Fleming, music by Jake Berran A brick in my cell just grew a… Read More

Sing Out Strong: Incarcerated Voices, “Why They Wanna Cage Us”

Why They Wanna Cage UsText by James Soto, music by Del’Shawn Taylor They tell us to live on minimum wages That’s outrageous.Put… Read More

SOS: Incarcerated Voices, “The Beauty In Me”

The Beauty in Me Based on text by text by WM. Peeples, music by Iván Rodriguez Please look at me, see past my scars… Read More

SOS: Incarcerated Voices Complete Songs and Lyrics

The Beauty in Me Based on text by text by WM. Peeples, music by Ivan Rodriguez Back to Life, by Cedar Annenkovna Please… Read More

Three Online Events Exploring Systemic Racism and Long-Term Incarceration (March 30, April 6 & 13)

Cerise Jacobs and her activist opera company, White Snake Projects, are pleased to announce three online events leading up to the premiere of their… Read More

Happy New Year from White Snake Projects!

Dear Friends of White Snake Projects: May 2021 find you safe and warm. May we reunite one day with family and friends. And may you… Read More

Seasons Greetings from White Snake Projects!

Dear Friends of White Snake Projects: 2020 is almost over. Words seem inadequate to describe the momentous events we’ve lived through and continue to wrestle… Read More

Announcing “Sing Out Strong: Essential Voices” (Press Release)

The October world premiere of White Snake Projects’ Alice in the Pandemic – a virtual opera bycreator and librettist Cerise Jacobs and composer Jorge… Read More

White Snake Projects Premieres Alice in the Pandemic, Ambitious Virtual Opera Composed by Jorge Sosa (Oct 23–27)

On October 23–27, activist opera company White Snake Projects presents the world premiere of Alice in the Pandemic, a new virtual opera composed by Jorge Sosa. Led by creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs, the… Read More

Press Release: Team of Tech Innovators Drives Virtual Opera Alice in the Pandemic

Alice in the Pandemic, a new virtual opera from activist opera company White Snake Projects, led by creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs, represents an… Read More

PRESS RELEASE: Responding to Challenge of COVID-19 Crisis, Creator and Librettist Cerise Jacobs and White Snake Projects Pivot from Live Performance to Virtual Opera with Premiere of Alice in the Pandemic (Oct 22–27)

As COVID-19 plays havoc with arts programming around the globe, creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs and her activist opera company, White Snake Projects, are once again pointing the way ahead, with a nimble pivot to sidestep the uncertainty surrounding fall programming. Read More

A Call to Action

It’s difficult to find words to describe how precious breath is. For the last two months, we’ve heard heart-wrenching testimony from health care professionals as they watched their patients struggle to breathe. “I’ll never take each breath for granted again,” Ashley Crumpler, Critical Care Nurse from Atlanta, said. Last week, we saw George Floyd struggle to breathe as a police officer charged with protecting us knelt on his neck and crushed the breath out of him. “I can’t breathe,” are words we cannot, and should not, forget. Read More

A Groundbreaking Hybrid

It was wonderful to be with you on May 13 at the world premiere of Sing Out Strong: DeColonized Voices. The authenticity of the lyrics combined with the power of music produced an evening of moving and meaningful songs performed with great artistry. For me, a crucial part of the evening was you, our audience. I have been longing to feel your fellowship again and to share moments of sublime beauty with you. Sing Out Strong fulfilled that longed for need. Read More

Press Release: Second Season of White Snake Projects Community Engagement Initiative, Sing Out Strong: DeColonized Voices, Moves Online

Creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs and her activist opera company, White Snake Projects, are proud to announce the second season of the community engagement… Read More

Join Us For Sing Out Strong: DeColonized Voices

We hope that you are all well and safe. While all theaters and opera houses are dark, we're grateful that the performing arts are not “dark” as arts organizations turn to digital platforms to share music and opera. Read More

Welcome Year of the Rat

It's the Year of the Rat, the symbol of intelligence, energy, and optimism. The Rat is the first animal in the Chinese zodiac, and not by accident. Legend has it that the Jade Emperor organized a race to determine the order of the zodiac. The quick-witted Rat hitched a ride on the back of the Ox. As the Ox neared the finish line, the little Rat leapt over its head to finish first! Read More

November Updates

We had our music workshop of next year’s mainstage opera, Cosmic Cowboy, by Elena Ruehr with our principal artists and our partners, the Boston Children’s Chorus and New England Conservatory. Below are some pictures of White Snake Projects’ team hard at work to bring another new work to life. Read More

Q+A with Jorge Sosa

Composer Jorge Sosa was all set to work with White snake Projects on the opera, Monkey: A Kung Fu Parable when President Trump revoked the DACA act. He and Cerise put Monkey aside and started work on I Am A Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams. Jorge talked with us about working with WSP, his influences, and his own experiences as an immigrant. Read More

Q+A with Maria Sensi Sellner

Conductor Maria Sensi Sellner took a break from rehearsal to answer a few of our questions about her pre-performance rituals and more! Read More

Q+A with Isis and Amy

On this day three years ago, my friends and I sat in the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre for the world premiere of Gilgamesh. After months of rehearsing and workshopping and preparing, we and our choir, the Boston Children’s Chorus, were ready to share the masterpiece that we’d been so lucky to take part in with the world. Read More

Q+A with Carla López-Speziale

Mezzo-soprano Carla López-Speziale plays Rosa, the titular Dreamer in I Am a Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams. We caught up with Carla during rehearsals and talked to her about her character, yoga, and more. Read More

Q+A with Helen Zhibing Huang

Soprano Helen Zhibing Huang is a White Snake Projects veteran, having previously sung in workshops for Gilgamesh and REV. 23, as well as writing the song "I Can’t Understand a Word You’re Saying" alongside composer Michele Cheng for Sing Out Strong: Immigrant Voices. She is now performing in our main stage opera, I Am A Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams. Read More

Press Release: White Snake Projects’ New Opera – I Am a Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams – examines Range of Immigrant Experience at Emerson Paramount Theater in Boston (Sep 20-22)

I Am a Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams, the newest opera from creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs, with a score by composer Jorge Sosa, premieres September 20-22 on the Robert J. Orchard Stage of Boston’s Emerson Paramount Theater. Read More

SOS Was a Success!

A BIG thank you to our audience for coming to Sing Out Strong: Immigrant Voices and to our artists for making music and telling stories from their hearts. I am so grateful to all of you who made our inaugural SOS successful. Read More

“We Are Survivors”

Something about live music has always been especially emotive to me. Listening to performers often leaves me speechless, introspective, marveling at each musician continuously perfecting their craft. It’s no surprise that I find myself at any concert I can possibly attend. So when as a part of my internship, I helped organize the Sing Out Strong: Immigrant Voices community concert series, I learned to appreciate the work that goes into concerts with a new perspective. Read More

Meet the SOS Writers

Last month, you met the 10 composers of Sing Out Strong: Immigrant Voices. This month, please meet the immigrant writers they've been paired with. Read More

Introducing SOS: Immigrant Voices Composers

I'd like to introduce our Sing Out Strong: Immigrant Voices' composers. We selected ten composers from a large pool of applicants and paired them with ten immigrant writers to make immigrant songs. They represent the diversity that is Boston and we're proud to include them in the roster of our artists. Read More

Activist Blog: Art + Activism

There aren’t many people who can convince me to put aside my studying during finals week. But when I received an invitation to Cerise’s celebration of White Snake Projects' three years of art + activism for that very same week, I didn’t question my attendance for a moment. I knew that whatever the evening would hold, it would be a fantastic one. My suspicions were proven correct. Read More

Press Release: Tickets on Sale Today, May 15, for White Snake Projects’ New Opera I Am a Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams, Composed by Jorge Sosa to a Libretto by Cerise Jacobs

Tickets go on sale today, May 15, for White Snake Projects’ I Am a Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams, the newest opera from creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs, premiering September 20-22 on the Robert J. Orchard Stage of Boston’s Emerson Paramount Theater. Composed by Jorge Sosa, the opera explores immigration, dislocation, and transformation in America. Read More

Press Release: White Snake Projects Announces Community Songwriting Project Sing Out Strong Immigrant Voices

Creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs and her production company, White Snake Projects, are proud to announce the launch of the new multi-year community engagement initiative Sing Out Strong, which will foster the creation of new songs on themes arising from the company’s mainstage operas. Read More

From Hong Kong with Love

What an exciting March it has been: Leaping forward into longer days with Daylight Savings Time, welcoming spring with its green shoots of daffodils and tulips, and, the Hong Kong premiere of Madame White Snake on March 8 and 9! Read More

Cerise Jacobs premieres “Madame White Snake” in Hong Kong in spring 2019

Jacobs’s first opera, Madame White Snake, which premiered in Boston in 2010 and went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for music the following year for the score by composer Zhou Long, will be given its Hong Kong premiere in two performances at the 47th Hong Kong Arts Festival in March of next year. Read More

Opening Night

Opening night was last night. Hard to believe we only have two shows left – tonight, Friday September 28 and tomorrow, Saturday, September 29. Read More

Meet Team Nyx

The three Team Nyx singers (Shirin Eskandani, Chris Carbin, and Stephen Carroll) took some time out of their busy rehearsal schedule to answer a few of our questions. Read More

Visionaries Podcast

Introducing the Opus Affair Podcast series, entitled “Visionaries.” So proud to be featured in its first episode. I discuss how White Snake Projects evolved into the activist company it is today, creating original and socially relevant opera, many of which innovate with the latest audio and video technology. Read More

Journeying with ALS

We took a day off rehearsals to participate in the panel: “Journeying with ALS: Finding Voice Through Art, Music and Technology.” This evening was the culmination of a year's work, in collaboration with Ron Hoffman of Compassionate Care, ALS, and Lesley University, bringing together disparate people from the worlds of opera, art, medicine, technology and those who have been touched by ALS. Read More

What is a Faceware Singer?

Please meet Nathan Rodriguez and Jennifer Caraluzzi, our intrepid Faceware singers. What, you may ask, is a Faceware singer? Read More

Get to Know Conductor Daniela Candillari

Being somewhat of a video-game newbie myself and learning about all the different components of creation and execution of video games, I'm very intrigued and excited to work in an environment where two different mediums meet. Read More

PermaDeath, a New Video Game Opera from Creator and Librettist Cerise Jacobs and Composer Dan Visconti, Premieres in Boston Sep 27-29

The world premiere of the video game opera PermaDeath, written by creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs and composed by Dan Visconti, the composer of Opera Philadelphia’s recent Andy Warhol-themed ANDY: A Popera, takes place at Boston’s Emerson Cutler Majestic Theater from September 27-29. Read More