Ricky Ian Gordon

Intimate Apparel

Originally an award-winning play, Lynn Nottage’s INTIMATE APPAREL was inspired by her great-grandmother’s life in New York in the early 20th century. The Pulitzer-laureate also created the libretto for Ricky Ian Gordon’s grand-yet-intimate opera whose complete instrumentation is two pianos. The story follows the life of a young, single seamstress who has recently emigrated from Barbados, the fascinating cast of characters in her life, and her socially-unacceptable feelings of affection for a Jewish fabric salesman. The premiere production of this 2½-hour drama was televised nationally from Lincoln Center on PBS’s “Great Performances.”