The Falling and the Rising

After enlisting in 2010, Staff Sergeant Benjamin Hilgert of the U.S. Army Field Band and Soldiers’ Chorus had an unusual idea: to create an opera based on the true stories of active duty soldiers wounded in combat.

SSG Hilgert took his idea to the Army Field Band’s commander who saw the potential and invited him to submit a proposal. From there, he found himself in the offices of OPERA America in New York discussing how to turn his dream into a reality. When the project was approved, the search began to find a composer and librettist to bring the story to life. SSG Hilgert researched candidates for months until he found the perfect team— composer Zach Redler and librettist Jerre Dye.

The story for The Falling and the Rising, taken directly from interviews with wounded soldiers, takes place in the mind of a soldier who suffers a roadside attack and follows her through a coma-induced dreamscape as she has powerful encounters with fellow service members. “Music, especially opera, has the power to move us, transform us, and heal us,” said SSG Hilgert. “I hope the audience leaves with a better understanding of the healing process that is needed for veterans and active duty military by sharing the stories they are often unable to share themselves.”