The University of Kentucky Opera Theatre will continue its “Telling America’s Stories” series with a powerful Civil War-era song cycle, “Rappahannock County,” opening the 2026-27 season October 16-19 at the Lexington Opera House. 

With a libretto by Pulitzer Prize winner Mark Campbell and music by Ricky Ian Gordon, “Rappahannock County” is a theatrical song cycle that premiered in 2011 and explores the impact of the Civil War on Virginians. Inspired by diaries, letters, and firsthand accounts, the work traces the years 1861-1865 through five chapters that illuminate the cost of the conflict. The production is a multi-media event, enhanced by historical visual projections and features five singers performing more than 30 roles.