Highways and Valleys – Two American Love Stories

Journey into the soul of America with Detroit Opera’s inspiring double-bill. In Highway 1, USA, William Grant Still, the “Dean of African American composers,” paints a portrait of a family navigating the promises and pressures of the American Dream. It is paired with Kurt Weill’s folk-inspired Down in the Valley, a newly staged production and premiere about love and sacrifice. 

Visionary director Kaneza Schaal weaves these two Black American love stories together with stunning artistry. A monumental backdrop by Christopher Myers, inspired by African American quilting traditions, becomes a dynamic vehicle for the narrative. Costume designer Charlese Antoinette (Judas and the Black Messiah) grounds the production in authenticity, dressing the entire cast in denim and workwear that honors Detroit’s legacy of labor. 

Down in the Valley

Weill’s “folk opera in one act” Down in the Valley was originally written for the radio at the same time Still was composing his reflection of Black life. Weaving together American folk songs and original choruses, Weill’s engagement with the music of his adopted homeland reflects the search for belonging among immigrant communities.

Down in the Valley weaves several traditional American songs into a tragic tale of love and loss. It begins and ends in a Birmingham jail cell on the eve of the execution of Brack—a teenage boy convicted of murdering the man who tried to take Jennie, Brack’s beloved, away from him. Told partly in flashback, this simple story of ill-fated romance and shattered innocence is as timeless as it is universal.

Highway 1, USA

Composed in the 1940s, Highway 1, USA is a distinctly American story of ordinary people aspiring for the “American dream.” Still’s work celebrates the Black experience in an engaging musical voice, portraying how African American culture is central to the sound of our national identity.

The kitchen of a modest house attached to a gas station is the unassuming setting of what The New York Times hailed as a “one-act stunner” from William Grant Still. The home belongs to Bob and Mary, who run the filling station and support Bob’s younger brother, Nate. But each sees that support, and its limits, very differently, resulting in a harrowing event that throws into question the nature of family, responsibility, success, and the American Dream.

New OperaHERE podcast episode!

Join hosts Arthur White, Director of Community & Audience Engagement, and Nathalie Doucet, Detroit Opera’s Head of Music and Director of the Resident Artist Program, as they chat about Detroit Opera’s upcoming Highways & Valleys. In this episode, Arthur and Nathalie speak with journalist Celeste Headlee, who is the granddaughter of William Grant Still. Listen in, and stay tuned for Part 2, focused on the music and life of Kurt Weill.