Oliver’s art song “The Big Deception” is being performed at the Paramount Theatre. Friday night and Sunday afternoon. It will be featured in a set of songs on immigration, performed as a prelude to the word premiere of Jorge Sosa Ortega and Cerise Jacobs’ powerful new opera I Am a Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams.

Commissioned by White Snake Projects, The Big Deception (soprano, mezzo, cello, piano), sets the story of Irene Da Silva and Ivete Souza, as told in their own words. Irene was approved for a United States Green Card and instructed to return to her native Brazil for her final interview. However, upon visiting the American embassy in Rio, Irene was informed that she had overstayed her American visitor’s visa and couldn’t enter the United States for ten years, even though she had already been approved for a green card. At age 79, she was separated from her daughter and grandchildren, alone in Brazil without her family. Irene persevered for ten long years. At age 89 she was able to return to America, reunite with her family. Yet she can never recover that lost decade.

Friday, September 20, 7:30pm
Sunday, September 22, 3:00pm
Emerson Paramount Theater
559 Washington Street
Boston, MA
Tickets