The World Premiere Screening of "The Golem of Prague"

Music by Paul Richards
Libretto by Sidney Homan
Directed by Anthony Offerle
Orchestra Conducted by Matthew Wardell

In March 2020, the University of Florida Opera Theatre was in the final stages of presenting the world premiere of The Golem of Prague, a new work composed for the program by UF Professor Paul Richards. The opera, three years in the making, would have been the first School of Music stage presentation at the Hippodrome State Theatre in Gainesville.  

One week prior to the first dress rehearsal, the COVID-19 pandemic paused all in-person performances.    

An ambitious plan to bring the opera to life in an innovative and safe format began to take shape. With the support of the College of the Arts, the School of Music, and the UF Digital Worlds Institute, a multi-level partnership was built, bringing together nine colleges, units, and community collaborators to turn the stage production into a film.  

Following consultation with University of Florida epidemiologists and members of the UF COVID-19 advisory team, the team performed under strict social distancing and masking protocols. Performers separately recorded singing parts and their camera appearances, lip-syncing to pre-recorded tracks. 

After a year of post-production, we are thrilled to premiere the first-ever UF Opera Theatre film, The Golem of Prague.  

Our generous supporters

Fine, Farkash & Parlapiano, P.A.
Dr. Sally Ryden
Jim and Sharon Theriac
Vince and Jennifer LaRuffa

Our talented collaborators

College of the Arts
College of Journalism and Communications
Digital Worlds Institute
School of Theatre and Dance
School of Music
University of Florida Performing Arts
WUFT
The Ocala Symphony Orchestra
Hippodrome State Theatre