The Shadow

Libretto by Sam Norman, Score by Ivette Herryman Rodríguez

A simple experiment goes terribly wrong. A man accidentally cuts off his own shadow. He thinks it’s lost forever… until the day he receives an unexpected visitor.

Adapted from the twisted tale by Hans Christian Andersen, The Shadow explores the fragility of identity, and how easily reality itself can be usurped by a good story.

This opera was originally developed as part of American Lyric Theater’s Composer/Librettist Development Program, under the supervision of Mark Adamo.

The Shadow was presented in concert format at Symphony Space, New York City, in June 2025. An expanded version was presented at the same venue in April 2026. The conductor was Kelly Kuo; ALT’s Artistic and General Director is Lawrence Edelson.