Opera Comes To The NCGA

By Anita Rao,

Published May 19, 2016 at 12:21 PM EDT

Image of Eugene from the new opera Body Politic

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Eugene (James Wesley Hunter, right), Iphis' drag queen roommate, encourages Iphis to forsake his adopted home and relocate with him to New York City in "New York is Safe."

Scott Bump

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Young Iphis (also played by Laura Intravia, center), meditates on the centuries of foreign intervention in Afghanistan while present day Iphis (Rudy Giron) observes from the perspective of America, during "Meaning of Your Flag" .

Scott Bump

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Composer Leo Hurley is a University of North Carolina School of the Arts graduate and one of the men behind the new opera 'Body Politic.'

John Von Herget.

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Librettist Charles Osborne is a University of North Carolina School of the Arts graduate and one of the men behind the new opera 'Body Politic.'

David Heisler

Image of Iphis from the new opera Body Politic

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Iphis (Rudy Giron) struggles with the double-otherness that comes from being transgender and Muslim in North Carolina in the aftermath of the 2006 Chapel Hill terrorist attack in "Chapel Hill Gets Lonely."

Scott Bump

North Carolina’s House Bill 2 has been making national headlines for the past two months and has inspired a wide range of social action. There have been both pro and anti-HB2 rallies on Jones street, businesses have left the state, and performers have canceled appearances in protest. The law inspired a different response in two UNC School of the Arts alumni who were inspired to bring their artistic work to the state.

“The Body Politic” is an opera

about a transgendered Afghan immigrant living in the United States. Host Frank Stasio talks with composer Leo Hurley and librettist Charles Osborne about political commentary through the arts. The opera will be performedinside the Legislative Building Auditorium this afternoon at 3 p.m.