SHI to host panel with creators of Tlingit Opera

(Watch Live) (Opera Tickets) (More Info)

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will host a panel with the creators of the first ever Tlingit opera “Ḵutulagaaw: The Tlingit-Russian Battles,” which premieres in September.

The public is invited to attend and meet the creative team, which consists of Vera Starbard (librettist), Madeline Sayet (director), Shaakindustóow Edward Littlefield (composer and musical director) and X’unei Lance Twitchell (translator and language consultant). Rory Stitt (orchestrator) is unable to attend. Dr. Rosita Worl, president of SHI, will open the discussion. The creators will then answer questions about the opera and speak about the process behind each aspect of the historic production.

The panel will be held from noon-1 pm, Thursday, Aug. 27 in the Clan House on the first level of Sealaska Heritage Institute, which is located at 105 Heritage Way in downtown Juneau. It will also be live streamed and available to watch on SHI’s YouTube channel.

The world premiere of the opera is set for Sept. 11, 2026, at the Thunder Mountain Middle School auditorium. Performances will run on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons Sept. 11-20.   

About the Tlingit Opera

“Ḵutulagaaw: The Tlingit-Russian Battles” is a joint production between SHI and Juneau’s Perseverance Theatre (PT). The opera is based on historical facts and oral traditions as told from the Tlingit perspective, focusing on stories from the Tlingit-Russian War waged in Alaska from 1802-1804. It was initiated by SHI and is being produced in collaboration with PT with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the First Peoples Fund, the National New Play Network and the Mellon Foundation.

“The idea of creating a Tlingit Opera came to me after a visit to Sitka National Historic Park, where I listened to oral accounts and read stories of the Tlingit-Russian war,” Worl said. “One account described the moments before a battle. The Tlingit and Haida were waiting on the beach. As the women beat their drums, the fog lifted, revealing the approaching Russians. I could see them advancing and hear the chaos of war: drumbeats, yelling and metal clashing.” 

The opera will be performed in the Tlingit language and include a score grounded in Tlingit musical and performing arts traditions and events, some of which were formerly held in natural amphitheaters set in mountain valleys. For more information about the Tlingit Opera, visit sealaskaheritage.org/shi-arts-department/Tlingit-opera.

About Perseverance Theatre and Sealaska Heritage Institute

Perseverance Theatre is Alaska’s largest professional theatre, and a non-profit organization serving over 21,000 artists, students and audiences annually. PT’s mission is to create professional theatre by and for Alaskans, while providing educational opportunities that nurture and serve our communities. PT values and focuses on community engagement, cross-cultural and cross-racial collaboration, professional rigor and regional/national voice. PT is governed by a statewide, nine-member board of community members, professionals and artists. Established in 1979, Perseverance has produced over 70 world premieres, bringing to life new work, including many stories by Alaska Native and other Alaskan playwrights. PT often collaborates with Indigenous peoples from across Alaska, the lower 48 and Canada.

Sealaska Heritage Institute is a non-profit tribal organization founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cross-cultural understanding by educating the general public about the Indigenous cultures of Alaska. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee, a Southeast Regional Language Committee and an Education Committee.

CONTACT: Kathy Dye, Deputy Director of Publications and Communications, kathy.dye@sealaskaheritage.com

Caption: Flyer for “Ḵutulagaaw: The Tlingit-Russian Battles.” Note: News outlets are welcome to use this photo for coverage of this story. For a higher-res version, contact kathy.dye@sealaskaheritage.com.