"Thank you for the sneak preview last night! We know tonight’s opening will also be wonderful. My family and I appreciate your defense of art in a troubled world. Our granddaughter recognized one of the singers from her Spanish class! Thank you for your beautiful book which I’ve begun to read.” — David Harrington (Kronos Quartet)
"Congrats again about the liftoff – that was such a magical experience last night” —Mason Bates
"I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to congratulate you after the wonderful and moving performance. You were always engaged with others and the many admirers of your work and the opera. It was quite unique in concept and beautiful to witness, both musically and visually. It’s quite amazing what you’e managed to accomplish and I’m honored that we were able to host the final two weeks of rehearsals before you moved into Z Space. “ — Paul Dresher
"Many thanks to you and your collaborating partners for creating and producing Abraham in Flames. It was quite thrilling to sit in that mysterious setting last night and watch the poetry unfold. Wishing you further success.”
"I wanted to speak with you after the performance and thank you for the ticket and the marvelous experience of "Abraham in Flames," but it looked like you had quite a few people to talk to. I thought the opera was absolutely GORGEOUS and wonderful and amazing. I was very moved by your poetry, which says such important things in such a beautiful, unusual way. The entire production was mesmerizing and the singers did a fantastic job. I was so caught up in it I was surprised when it ended! Congratulations - it's a brilliant work and I hope it has a life beyond Z Space, with many more performances.”
"I fell asleep to choral harmonies. So gorgeous. I loved it."
"Congratulations on an incredible show!! I saw the press as well, which is rave. It was beautiful and deep. I hope you all are happy with how it all turned out and glowing in the post performance aura of what you’ve created.”
"CONGRATULATIONS again for the amazing opera of Abraham in Flames. I can only imagine how much work goes into an opera like this…”
"We ALL loved the new OPERA. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU on 7 years of hard work. Your book is just wonderful. Many of us have read it. We discussed the Opera in the car and all agreed that it was FLAWLESS......the 5 soloists stars were just Fantastic..so was..the music, the lighting,and the SNOW moment ! ! ! Very intricate work on behalf of the Chorus. They are STARS TOO. The music was not easy to learn but they made it sound so pleasing at all times. It is TIME TO REST a while........and Bask in the GLORY ! ! ! But what is NEXT for you? With lots of LOVE and Congratulations again……” — Janet Welter and CA Symphony ladies
"It’s a triumph all right. Girl’s voice woke me up in the middle of the night last night, out of a dream. Incredibly powerful. Like being the bell as it’s rung.” — Eric Evans
"What an amazing afternoon yesterday. I'm still processing what we all got to experience together. Thank you for having the courage and drive to see this project through. I have attended seen many of your projects...and I remember us chatting after Brooklyn how you needed to produce and be in charge from start to finish. Well look at what happens when you do that. Brava. Not only art. But a badly needed (but tastefully done) message. Thank you for sharing your gifts, your passion and desire to make this a better place to exist in.” — Daniel Nam
"Thank you so very much for making it possible for me to watch Abraham in Flames, which was at once beautiful and very moving. I loved every minute of it. I expect that other venues will want to put your show on. And I look forward to hearing about its forthcoming successes. Thank you, my friend. You are brilliant."
"What a memorable and mesmerizing experience! It was astonishing! The production was such an amazing feat of imagination: bravo bravo! What an incredible vision! And how beautifully you wove the words and voices! The music and soloists were also incredible: how wonderful that you had such top-quality people singing your work! And the chorus was sublime: the theater-in-the-round format really me feel immersed in the chorus and the music.” — Pireeni Sundaralingam
"Thanks so much, again, for extending the invitation to "Abraham in Flames." It’s absolutely beautiful! I hope you’re reveling in it, and look forward to seeing you some time soon — let’s make a date to have a coffee when you’ve put your feet back on the ground (with pluck and grit).”
“I cannot stop thinking about it.”
"What an evening! I’m sure the others who were there to see the opera were as delighted as I was with the performance. Thanks for creating the opera. I especially enjoyed the intimacy of the small group (as opposed to a large theater). Such creativity . Will you continue to produce more works of this kind? I hope so.
"Bravo again for yesterday!! It was so powerful and touching!"
"Wow!!! What an amazing review!! And well-deserved!!! I’m SO proud of you!”
"That was absolutely amazing!!”
"Congratulations again. I know this was an enormous undertaking and years of work and it really really paid off. Super powerful performance. Thrilling, creative, beautiful. Important subject matter, especially for today. Really happy for you and proud of your achievement!”
"That was truly incredible!”
"CONGRATS!!! That debut was DOPE. The lighting, the stage, the music...the whole performance reached an outstanding new level. Gosh, those girls have such amazing pitch. The melody and harmony were fantastic. And having the context from your book took it to a completely different level. I’m so glad I got to see it, and really impressed by the entire production. Wow. HECK YEAH." — Carlos Cabrera
"I absolutely loved your opera! I also loved following you from Fort Mason, the opera house, and to last week. You have worked so hard to bring this art piece into fruition. Congratulations girl!” —Deborah Denehy
"I LOVED it!! I was waiting for things to die down to reach out to you. One of our guests loved it so much that they bought your book on Amazon. You should be so proud!!!!” —Kari Lincks Coomans
"We absolutely loved every minute. It was very special for me- and I super love your besties. Enjoy the afterglow and congratulations on an amazing and illuminating experience. I’m on way to London for a couple of weeks and look forward to chilling when back. Abraham was on fire- absolutely wowed.” —Peggy Gyulai
"I was very taken by the production. As you may recall, I worked for SF Opera for a decade and saw lots of different productions, including some in smaller venues directed by Roy. He always seemed to do some controversial things, so part of my delight in this production is that nothing felt strange or uncomfortable to me! It was brilliant in concept start to finish. And a great example of how one can present opera on a smaller budget and make it powerful.
The intimacy of engaging the audience with the stage was borne of necessity, I'm sure, but it was a wonderful experience and a new perspective that is hard to do in most venues. I loved the production. The clever use of headlamps on wrists and dropping of confetti to create the snow effect was one of my favorites! The video screens enhanced the concept in the right way and the super titles were necessary, but also reinforced the action on the stage in a way that might have otherwise been lost. The costumes were terrific, especially the 'multi-use' of some, such as the tree. It felt like super smart design and a concept that takes full advantage of a budget with an effect that is powerful. Using the stage end to end as much as possible isn't easy to do, but it looked almost effortless. The girls were used in so many ways to dress or clear the stage. Again, super smart directing and design concepts throughout.
Of course, the cast was spectacular and I enjoyed the music as well as the message. As a singer, I could appreciate the hard work that went into learning those roles, especially for the girls chorus. Too often new operas don't register with me because the music is too abstract for my taste or the production is too edgy. This was a wonderful surprise to enjoy a new opera and new production at every turn.
Congratulations! I hope it will venture to other locales at some point in the future." — Stacy Cullison
"it was a beautiful experience to be at the space for your show. i felt that the beauty and artistry of the work in addition to knowing you, and having been witness of your struggles with affirming your calling in life in the most intimate context of the family space, blessed me with both a public and private experience that is rare even among artists. the artists who joined you in embodying and voicing your story and vision were amazing. i can still hear those girls! as another non voluntary immigrant (is there another kind?) and someone who also had to make tough choices to follow a calling, i also felt that you articulated beautifully what we embody, for perhaps, all artists: art is a space of belonging like no other. it is a realm of its own, a home of its own, and if you are lucky enough to be granted a passport, you will be welcomed and find fellow citizens and a home anywhere in the world you can find yourself in or going to. it was brilliant to focus on childhood and youth as part of that symbolic realm. for, perhaps, creativity and imagination is the homeland of children and youth, a land that sadly, many leave behind on their own, or, as we know, forced by life circumstances and/or a non-supportive environment. so much conjured by and in that space… perhaps to ponder over a cup of coffee or a shot of single malt. above all, such gratitude for the all-seeing gaze of real friends. thank you for such beautiful work, amiga mía!” — Roberto Varea
“an elusive but arresting new chamber opera…” — Joshua Kosman of the SF Chronicle
"Vrebalov’s seductive and colorfully orchestrated score...with a sleek production and lighting design by Heather Carson and costumes by Christine Crook, the opera stirred interest even before it began.” — Steven Winn of SF Classical Voice’s in Abraham in Flames Burns Brightly at Z Space
“Written by a female composer and female librettist, a very rare occurrence in a world dominated by male composers/librettists...The biggest pièce de résistance of the opera, the use of a girls’ choir as the lead character. An amazing achievement for everybody involved, and truly a worthy addition to the opera world." — Michael Anthonio of Parterre in There Will be Bloom
BELONGING:
“Utterly gorgeous. Here the personal becomes political and vice versa with haunting results. — LibraryThing
Broadway world: Layla Means Night — Sep. 16, 2013
Layla Means Night: Rosanna Gamson seduces audiences in San Francisco — Nov 4, 2013
layla means night and the elephant in the room — November 3, 2013
'Layla Means Night,' review: not thought through — Allan Ulrich — November 1, 2013
SF Weekly review King Kills His Brides Over and Over again, October 31, 2013
Nob Hill Gazzett write up for Layla, October 31, 2013
High-art Haunted House: Layla Means Night , October 20, 2013
KALW Revolutions per minute Sarah Cahill interview with Vrebalov, Rapier, McMane, May 5, 2019
KALW Revolutions per minute Sarah Cahill interview with Vrebalov, Rapier, McMane, October 1, 2017 (digitized)