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Complications in Sue

Complications in Sue

Libretto by Michael R. Jackson, based on an idea by Justin Vivian Bond

Music by Andy Akiho, Alistair Coleman, Nathalie Joachim, Missy Mazzoli, Nico Muhly, Rene Orth, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Kamala Sankaram, Dan Schlosberg and Errollyn Wallen

Caren Levine, conductor

Justin Vivian Bond, Sue
Kiera Duffy, Mrs. Claus, Co-Ed 1, Algorithm 1, Child Self, Death
Imara Miles, Newscaster, Algorithm 2, Octogenarian, Death
Nicky Spence, Co-Ed 2, Algorithm 3, Neighbor, Death
Nicholas Newton, Santa Claus, Roger, Octogenarian, Death

Opera Philadelphia Orchestra

Album cover featuring a photo collage of a woman singing and the title "Complications in Sue"

Complications in Sue is available for streaming and download on all major platforms. Physical CD sales available on Bandcamp.

Synopsis

By Michael R. Jackson

Scene I: Sue's Birth

Music by Errollyn Wallen

In a hospital nursery full of newborns, Death enters and finds baby Sue. Death welcomes her to the world, tells her what’s to come, and says they will only meet once again.

Scene 2: Sue’s Childhood

Music by Missy Mazzoli

Santa Claus complains to Mrs. Claus about how he feels irrelevant and worries that he might be replaced by AI. Mrs. Claus reminds him that there’s a 10-year-old girl named Sue who still believes in him, and he needs to believe in her.

Scene 3: Sue at University

Music by Andy Akiho

At a university in the northeast, two college co-eds gossip about Sue while watching her from afar. They both hate her and want to be her.

Scene 4: Susan’s Imagination

Music by Nathalie Joachim

A newscaster reports from inside Sue’s imagination. After recapping current events, the newscaster turns to 30-something Sue’s life events. Sue is doubting her relationship with Roger even though he’s perfect on paper.

Scene 5: Sue’s Ex-Husband

Ten years later, Roger leaves a voicemail for Sue, calling her back after receiving an unexpected phone call from her.

Scene 6: Sue’s Algorithm

Music by Cécile McLorin Salvant

An Algorithmic Trio descends on Sue. Collectively, they are the algorithm, and they’ve been studying her since birth. They’re frustrated because she’s not clicking on what she should be and not even using her phone as much.

Scene 7: Sue’s Neighbor

Music by Alistair Coleman

Sue’s neighbor is talking to her on the phone. They don’t know each other well, but he doesn’t have many people to talk to, so he confides in Sue about his deepest secrets.

Scene 8: A Visit From the Ghost of Sue’s Childhood Past

Music by Kamala Sankaram

Sue’s child self, a kind of astral projection, observes Sue in her 70s.

Scene 9: Sue’s Old Age Home

Music by Rene Orth

Two octogenarians lounge in the dayroom of a nursing home. While Sue waits for Death, they defiantly run from it.

Scene 10: Sue’s Death

Music by Nico Muhly

Death returns to celebrate Sue’s 99th birthday with a cake and take her with them.

Read the Complications in Sue libretto.

About the Artists

Librettist and Composers

  • Bald black man in light oxford shirt and jacket

    Michael R. Jackson

        • Librettist

  • Man with short hair in oxford shirt

    Andy Akiho

        • Composer

  • White man with short dark hair in knit shirt

    Alistair Coleman

        • Composer

  • Black woman with short hair and geometric earings

    Nathalie Joachim

        • Composer

  • White woman with long dark hair

    Missy Mazzoli

        • Composer

  • White man with short dark hair and knit shirt

    Nico Muhly

        • Composer

  • Woman with long dark hair

    Rene Orth

        • Composer

  • Black woman with short hair and light top

    Cécile McLorin Salvant

        • Composer

  • Woman with dark hair with her hand resting at the side of her head

    Kamala Sankaram

        • Composer

  • White man with short dark hair and dark oxford shirt and jacket

    Dan Schlosberg

        • Composer

  • Black woman with curly shoulder-length hair and glasses

    Errollyn Wallen

        • Composer

Cast

  • Woman with shoulder length blond hair and dark top

    Justin Vivian Bond

        • Sue

  • White woman with shoulder-length light brown hair

    Kiera Duffy

        • Mrs. Claus | Co-Ed 1 | Algorithm 1 | Child Self | Death

  • Black woman with long, curly black hair

    Imara Miles

        • Newscaster | Algorithm 2 | Octogenarian | Death

  • Bald white man in striped shirt

    Nicky Spence

        • Co-Ed 2 | Algorithm 3 | Neighbor | Death

  • Black man with short hair in dark oxford shirt and jacket

    Nicholas Newton

        • Santa Claus | Roger | Octogenarian | Death

Opera Philadelphia Orchestra

VIOLIN I
Max Tan, concertmaster
Donna Grantham, assistant concertmaster
Meichen Liao-Barnes
Natasha Colkett
Elizabeth Kaderabek
Rachel Segal
Maria Im
Gared Crawford
Emily Barkakati
Mary Loftus

VIOLIN II
Tess Varley, principal
Luigi Mazzocchi
Heather Zimmerman Messé
Paul Reiser
Karen Banos
Sarah DuBois
Lisa Vaupel
Yoori Kim Williams

VIOLA
Jonathan Kim, principal
Jay Julio, assistant principal
Yoshihiko Nakano
Elizabeth Jaffe
Julia DiGaetani
Steven Heitlinger

CELLO
Branson Yeast, principal
Vivian Barton Dozor, assistant principal
David Moulton
Brooke Beazley
Elizabeth Thompson

BASS
Dimitrios Mattas, principal
Anne Peterson
Stephen Groat

FLUTE
Brendan Dooley, principal
Kimberly Trolier, piccolo

OBOE
Geoffrey Deemer, principal
Oliver Talukder, English horn

CLARINET
John Diodati, principal
Allison Herz, bass clarinet

BASSOON
Norman Spielberg, principal
Darryl Hartshorne

HORN
John David Smith, principal
Emerson Miller

TRUMPET
Brian Kuszyk, principal
Steven Heitzer

TROMBONE
Robert Gale, principal
Phil McClelland

TUBA
Paul Erion, principal

TIMPANI
Barry Dove, principal

PERCUSSION
Ralph Sorrentino, principal
Bradley Loudis

HARP
Ruth Bennett, principal

Rihanna Thelwell, Newscaster, Algorithm 2, Octogenarian, Death (walked role in live performance)
Julia Laird, Mrs. Claus, Co-Ed 1, Algorithm 1, Child Self, Death (cover)
Nathaniel Bear, Co-Ed 2, Algorithm 3, Neighbor, Death (cover)
Brandon Bell, Santa Claus, Roger, Octogenarian, Death (cover)

Creative Team

  • Woman with long dark hair

    Caren Levine

        • Conductor

  • Man with short hair and dark shirt

    Zach Winokur

        • Co-Director

  • Black man with knit cap

    Raja Feather Kelly

        • Co-Director

Krit Robinson, Set Designer
Yuri Link, Lighting Designer
JW Anderson, Costume Designer for Justin Vivian Bond
Victoria Bek, Costume Designer
Chris Sannino, Sound Designer
Amanda Miller, Hair and Make-Up Designer
Jennifer Shaw, Stage Manager

Stage Production Press Acclaim

Eclectic woman in sunglasses sits on a towel-covered sun chair

Vogue

"This, if not already clear, isn’t your typical opera."

Vogue

Woman in white dress and white feathered hat greets the audience

The Wall Street Journal

"Fresh, contemporary and thoroughly engaging"

The Wall Street Journal

Woman stands and points at the viewer flanked by a seated man and woman dressed in school uniforms

The New York Times

"Nothing this year has matched the pleasant surprise of this show. Michael R. Jackson's libretto had an instant voice of its own, funny, filthy ... and unexpectedly poignant."

The New York Times

Woman in yellow dress with trailing sleeves stands with arms out at her sides on a raised plinth

The Philadelphia Inquirer

"The 10 episodes — as fantastically conceived by librettist Michael R. Jackson — are like semi-improvised comedy sketches that leave certain psychological doors open for the composers to create a sense of operatic magnitude."

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to the following labor organizations whose members, artists and craftspeople greatly contributed to this recording:

Opera Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians are proud members of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 77-274.

The American Guild of Musical Artists, the union of professional signers, dancers and production personnel in opera, ballet and concert, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, represents the Artists and Staging Staff for all purposes of collective bargaining.

International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees / Local 8

Theatrical Wardrobe Union / Local 799, I.A.T.S.E.

United Scenic Artists / Local 829, I.A.T.S.E.

Box Office and Font of House Employees Union / Local B29, I.A.T.S.E.

Highway Truck Drivers and Helpers/ Local 107, Teamsters

Production

World premiere production commissioned by Opera Philadelphia
Anthony Roth Costanzo, General Director and President
Corrado Rovaris, Judy and Peter Leone Music Director

Recorded live on February 5 and 6, 2026 at the Academy of Music, Philadelphia, PA
Producers: Robert Stroker, David Pasbrig, Anthony Roth Costanzo
Recording/Mixing/Mastering Engineer: David Pasbrig
Photography: Steven Pisano and Ray Bailey
Graphic Design: Haeg Design

All rights in this sound recording, artwork, texts and translations reserved. Unauthorized public performance, broadcasting and copying prohibited. B0069-26.

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