Critically acclaimed Civil War spy opera comes to Virginia fresh from a 2026 Grammy® nomination
Virginia Opera announces its upcoming production of Intelligence, the powerful new opera by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer, inspired by the true story of two women who built one of the most daring Union spy networks of the Civil War. The work received its world premiere at Houston Grand Opera in 2023 and arrives in the Commonwealth as only the second production ever of this acclaimed score.
Adding to the excitement, Intelligence has been nominated for a 2026 Grammy® Award for Best Opera Recording, recognizing the world-premiere recording by Houston Grand Opera. The GRAMMY Awards ceremony will be broadcast live on February 1, 2026, from Los Angeles, right in the midst of Virginia Opera’s run of performances.
A local story of courage, espionage, and resistance
Set in Richmond, VA, Intelligence is inspired by a gripping true story of espionage, sacrifice, and the fight for freedom. With the Civil War blazing, Elizabeth Van Lew, a socialite from a prominent Confederate family, is running a secret pro-Union spy network that feeds intelligence to the North. Working alongside her, Mary Jane Bowser, an enslaved woman who becomes a spy, infiltrates the heart of the Confederacy.
With dramatic storytelling, a pulse-pounding score, and electrifying movement, Intelligence reveals how two brave women came together, risking everything for freedom, underscoring the fact that history-changing acts of resistance happened in our own backyard.
Union General Ulysses S. Grant later credited Van Lew’s network with having provided “the most valuable information received from Richmond during the war,” a testament to the real-life stakes behind the story brought to life on stage.
Living creators, live in the theater
Unlike many beloved operas in the repertory, both Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer are very much alive and actively creating new work. They will both travel to Virginia to be in attendance for the opening night performance in Norfolk on January 30, 2026, offering audiences a rare chance to experience a major new American opera with its creators in the house.
Following opening night, Heggie and Scheer will fly to Los Angeles for the GRAMMY Awards ceremony on February 1, 2026, where the Intelligence recording will be in contention for Best Opera Recording―a remarkable intersection of live performance and national recognition for this timely work.
From Houston to Virginia: Adam Turner on bringing Intelligence home
Virginia Opera’s Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Adam Turner traveled to Houston Grand Opera to experience the world premiere of Intelligence in 2023 and was immediately determined to bring the opera to Virginia audiences.
“From the moment the curtain rose in Houston, I knew Intelligence belonged on our stages in Virginia,” said Turner. “Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer have crafted a thriller that’s as emotionally rich as it is musically compelling, and it tells a story rooted in Virginia’s history―Mary Jane Bowser, Elizbeth Van Lew, and the extraordinary risks they took for freedom. To share this piece with the communities whose history it reflects, and to welcome Jake and Gene into our theaters, is an absolute privilege for Virginia Opera.”
Community conversations & special programs
To deepen engagement with the history and themes of Intelligence, Virginia Opera will offer a series of public and private programs leading up to and surrounding the performances:
- Decoding Intelligence: The Real-Life Spy Network Behind the Opera
January 13, 2026 · 6:00 PM
Slover Library, Norfolk
Join renowned historians Dr. Cassandra Newby-Alexander, Dr. Stephanie Richmond, and Timothy Orr for a compelling look at the true Civil War-era events that inspired the opera Intelligence. This conversation, moderated by Virginia Opera's Artistic Director Adam Turner, uncovers the remarkable spy networks, acts of resistance, and courageous individuals—such as Elizabeth Van Lew and Mary Jane Bowser—whose real stories shaped this groundbreaking work.
- Virtual Book Club: Southern Lady, Yankee Spy (Zoom)
January 22, 2026 · 7:00 PM
A virtual book discussion of Southern Lady, Yankee Spy: The True Story of Elizbeth Van Lew, a Union Agent in the Heart of the Confederacy by Elizabeth R. Varon. Participants will explore the real-life history behind Van Lew’s spy network and its impact on the war. Also joining us as part of the discussion, author Elizabeth R. Varon and the opera’s librettist Gene Scheer.
About the Production
Intelligence
Conceived by Jake Heggie, Gene Scheer, Jawole Zollar
Music by Jake Heggie, Libretto by Gene Scheer
Based upon the historical facts pertaining to the underground Civil War spy network of Mary Jane Bowser and Elizbeth Van Lew
This opera was commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera
Performances conducted by Adam Turner (Norfolk and Richmond) and Brandon Eldredge (Fairfax)
Directed by Kyle Lang
Making her Virginia Opera debut, soprano Jacqueline Echols McCarley stars as Mary Jane Bowser. Echols, who has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera, LA Opera, and Washington National Opera, among others, has been praised for her “dynamic range and vocal acrobatics” (Classical Voice). Mezzo-soprano Ashley Dixon, a Grand Finals Winner of The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a former Adler Fellow with San Francisco Opera, debuts as Elizabeth Van Lew having participated in workshops leading up to the opera’s world premiere. An acclaimed graduate of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, mezzo-soprano Cierra Byrd joins for her Virginia Opera debut as Lucinda.
Other mainstage debuts include bass-baritone Craig Irvin (Travis Briggs), bass Kevin Thompson (Henry), and tenor Edward Graves (Wilson). Soprano Maureen McKay, who made her Virginia Opera debut as Rose Maurrant in Street Scene (2018), joins as Callie Van Lew.
Audience-favorite director Kyle Lang returns to Virginia Opera, marking a decade of collaboration with credits including La Bohème, Lucia di Lammermoor, The Marriage of Figaro, The Pirates of Penzance, and most recently Don Giovanni and Carmen.
Watch a promotional video for Intelligence:
Performance Dates
- Fairfax: Saturday, February 14 at 7:30 PM & Sunday, February 15 at 2:00 PM
Tickets for the Fairfax performances can be purchased through the Center for the Arts ticket office online or by calling 703-993-2787.
Tickets for all three cities, including Norfolk (Friday, January 30 at 7:30 PM & Sunday, February 1 at 2:30 PM) and Richmond (Friday, February 6 at 7:30 PM & Sunday, February 8 at 2:30 PM) are available at vaopera.org/intelligence or by calling the Virginia Opera Box Office at 866-673-7282.
For press inquiries, please contact:
Amanda Ivy, Director of Marketing, Virginia Opera
757-213-4547 · Amanda.ivy@vaopera.org
About Virginia Opera
Virginia Opera, the official opera company of the Commonwealth of Virginia, is one of the finest regional opera companies in the nation and is the only company to perform regularly in three separate main stage venues: the Harrison Opera House in Norfolk, the Carpenter Theatre at the Dominion Energy Center in Richmond, and the Center for the Arts at George Mason University in Fairfax. Organized in 1974, Virginia Opera is respected nationwide for the identification and presentation of the finest young artists, for the musical and dramatic integrity of its productions, and for the ingenuity and variety of its education and outreach programs.