Set against Afghanistan’s volatile history, A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the breathtaking story of Mariam and Laila, two Afghan women. Brought together under the brutal Taliban rule, the bond between Laila and Mariam leads to unthinkable sacrifices, and ultimately, one family’s survival.
Based on Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling novel, this story has captured the hearts of millions including American composer Sheila Silver and librettist Stephen Kitsakos who adapted the novel for the opera stage.
Host Stephen Anthony Rawson sits down to talk with Sheila Silver about her opera, its journey to the Seattle Opera stage, and her musical studies in India with vocalist Pandit Kedar Bodas.
MUSIC
*Soon, very soon, Act 2, Scene 3
*Finale, Act 2, Scene 5
*Like a compass needle pointing north, Act 1, Scene 1
*It all stops tonight, Act 2, Scene 5
*Love of Laila and Tariq, Act 2, Scene 1
*Excerpt of the tabla player Deep Singh
*Prelude, Act 1, Scene 1
*How quietly we endure, Act 1, Scene 4
Karin Mushegain as Mariam
Maureen McKay as Laila
Rafael Moras as Tariq
Tess Altiveros as Nana