Virginia is for opera lovers

Virginia is for lovers. It’s more than just a state slogan. VA Opera aims to tell the story of an ordinary couple’s fight for interracial marriage in their latest production.

Loving v. Virginia was a landmark 1967 Supreme Court case ruling it unconstitutional for states to ban interracial marriage. It all started in 1958 when Richard and Mildred Loving got married in Washington, D.C. and were then jailed upon their return to Virginia. Thus started their fight for love.

VA Opera’s new production tells this story. The music was written by Damien Geter, who was recently featured in the Library of Virginia’s 2025 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History list. It was at the Library of Virginia, on a particularly rainy day, that I attended a free preview of the opera. I slipped into the room, looking like a drowned mouse, and leaned against the back wall to watch the performance. It was formatted a bit like a radio show, with the four cast mates sitting in front of old-fashioned mics. In character, they told the story of the Lovings, spoken word with operatic performances weaved throughout.

“I believe art and politics go hand-in-hand,” said Aria Minasian, one of the singers during the Q and A session. “I love singing in English, it keeps this art form alive, and makes it accessible.” Patrick Wilhelm, who played Richard Loving, noted that the entire cast watched the HBO documentary on the case in preparation for the role. “You realize they are just two people walking down the street who want to be together,” he said. Chase Sanders, who plays Mildred Loving, has a personal connection to the story. “I’m the product of an interracial marriage,” she said. “[The Loving case] was not that long ago and we have to remember that.”

Loving v. Virginia debuts in Norfolk on April 25 and will be in Richmond May 9 - 11. ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗