Join us as Wichita State Opera Theater celebrates America’s 250th birthday with Aaron Copland’s heartfelt opera The Tender Land. Set in the rural Midwest, this poignant work tells the story of a farm family whose lives unfold against the backdrop of community, tradition, and the hope of new horizons.

Inspired by Depression-era photographs and James Agee’s Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, Copland’s score blends sweeping lyricism with folk-inspired melodies, capturing both the quiet dignity and the restless spirit of rural America. With themes of family, love, and the passage of time, The Tender Land remains one of Copland’s most moving and accessible stage works.

Performances will be held in Miller Concert Hall:

Friday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 8, at 3:00 p.m.

Experience this American classic brought to life by WSU Opera Theater, with orchestra, in a production that honors Copland’s vision and the enduring beauty of the American heartland.