Douglas J. Cuomo's "Arjuna's Dilemma" at the Dallas Opera

by Ted Gordon on May 4, 2017, 3:26 p.m.

(photo: "Arjuna's Dilemma" at One World Theatre Nepal, 2016; © Eric Garrison)

Douglas J. Cuomo's Arjuna's Dilemma is a truly unique opera, which combines the tradition of operatic performance with North Indian singers and instrumentalists to recount a harrowing moment from the Bhagavad Gita, where the eponymous Arjuna must grapple with conscience and duty in a time of civil war, leading to his search of self-knowedge in a rapidly changing world.

Recorded on Innova in 2008 and recently performed in Nepal (the first opera ever to be performed in that country), Arjuna's Dilemma has just had its Texas premiere in a visually-enhanced concert performance with the Dallas Opera. The performance, led by Dallas Opera Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement, starred Tony Boutté, Humayun Khan and a female vocal quartet of Katrina Galka, Audra Methvin, Alyssa Martin and Lindsay Ammann.

Cuomo has composed a Choral Suite from this opera, featuring seven movements from the opera scored for SATB chorus, solo violin, and piano, which is avalable on PSNY. Also available is the aria Four-Armed Form, for tenor and piano.