An opera for families with music by Lori Laitman and libretto by Dana Gioia.
Maya and her grandmother are living an ordinary day in their ordinary living room. As Maya works on her homework, her grandmother prepares to go shopping. As she leaves, she cautions Maya to lock the door and let no one in. Bored, Maya looks for something to do. In her grandmother’s cedar chest, she discovers an enormous dazzling ruby ring. Noticing the ring is a bit dusty, Maya rubs the jewel with her scarf. What happens next is anything but ordinary—a large genie appears!
The genie announces he was trapped in the ring for 50 years because the last owner failed to make their three wishes. The genie informs Maya she may make three wishes but sets a timer to ensure he won’t be trapped again. As Maya contemplates her wishes, the genie ominously warns, “Be careful what you wish for.”
Madcap chaos ensues as Maya first wishes her cat could talk and then wishes her toy unicorn to life. As the cat loudly complains and the unicorn only admires his own beauty, Maya works against time as she feverishly ponders her third wish. In desperation, she cries out, “I wish my grandma were here!” Maya’s grandmother instantly appears.
She recognizes the genie, and it becomes clear she was the previous owner of the magic ring. Maya’s grandmother sets the genie free, completing her series of wishes. Maya asks, “Why did you only make one wish?” “Because I only needed one wish to get what I wanted,” Maya’s grandmother replies. Maya asks, “What did you wish for that was so wonderful?” “I wished for you,” Maya’s grandmother replies.
Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Established in 1958, Lyric Opera of Kansas City is one of the world’s premier regional opera companies and brings high-quality live operatic performances to the Kansas City region. Renowned for its dedication to excellence, Lyric Opera presents a diverse repertoire featuring original language productions from the traditional opera canon alongside contemporary and American operas. Lyric Opera is committed to lifelong learning through robust education, family, and community engagement programming. Through innovative initiatives and commissions, these programs deepen humanistic connections, artistic literacy, and social-emotional learning. Lyric Opera of Kansas City remains an integral part of the cultural fabric of Kansas City and the surrounding region.
