Opera “American Mother” Premiered in Germany

Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Large House, Elberfelder Straße 65, 58095 Hagen, Germany

In October 2021, Diane Foley and Alexanda Kotey met in a courthouse in the US state of Virginia. She, the mother of journalist James Foley, murdered in 2014, and he, a member of the four-man terrorist group that held James and three other people captive for years and ultimately murdered them. Seemingly insurmountable divides separate the two, yet their conversation reveals that even hatred can be overcome and that human fates extend far beyond what can be captured by the all-too-simplistic roles of “victim” and “perpetrator.”

Based on the book of the same name, co-written by bestselling author Colum McCann with Diane Foley, Charlotte Bray composed American Mother for Theater Hagen. The opera explores the extraordinary case, which attracted considerable international media attention, and tells the personal story of a fateful day in the life of Diane Foley.

British composer Charlotte Bray is one of the most sought-after contemporary composers. Following her opera Entanglement (2015), American Mother once again explores a contemporary historical topic of great social relevance. Travis Preston, Artistic Director of the CalArt Center for New Performance in California, will stage the premiere with a design by the internationally acclaimed stage and costume designer Christopher Barreca.

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“At American Mother’s premiere, after 80 tense and challenging minutes, the audience was on its feet, a rarity for Germany. Reviews were enthusiastic, too, praising the strong performances and Travis Preston’s tight direction in “an outstanding opera evening.”

Derek Scally – Irish Times  

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“American Mother is a work that goes to the heart with a theme that moves us all: the rejection of violence, revenge and hatred.” 

Pedro Obiera – Der Opernfreund

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“From the very first bars of Charlotte Bray’s haunting score, it was clear that under the direction of Travis Preston, this opera would not merely recount a tragic chapter in modern history, it would immerse its audience in a raw and unflinching emotional journey exploring grief, confrontation, and the elusive possibility of forgiveness.”

Chris Bates – Horsam Now

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Cast