Patience and Sarah (opera)

Patience and Sarah is an opera in two acts composed by Paula M. Kimper, with a libretto by Wende Persons. It is based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Isabel Miller, which tells the story of a romantic relationship between two women in rural 18th-century America.

The opera premiered on November 8, 1998, at the Bank Street Theater in New York City, produced by American Opera Projects. Since its premiere, Patience and Sarah has become a significant work in the opera repertoire for its representation of LGBTQ+ themes and its historical setting.

The story centers on Patience White, a painter, and Sarah Jenkins, a farmer who is struggling against the societal expectations placed upon women. They meet and gradually fall in love, facing prejudice and disapproval from their community. The opera explores themes of love, freedom, societal constraints, and the courage to live authentically.

Musically, Kimper's score is characterized by its accessible melodies and evocative orchestration, drawing on folk music influences and creating a soundscape that reflects the opera's historical period and rural setting. The libretto closely follows the novel, capturing the characters' voices and emotions with sensitivity and nuance.

Patience and Sarah is notable for its contribution to expanding the representation of lesbian relationships in opera and for its portrayal of historical struggles for women's independence. It continues to be performed by opera companies and universities, contributing to discussions of LGBTQ+ issues within the classical music world.