Orchestra 2001 will honor President Al Bloom and Swarthmore's long-standing contribution to Philadelphia's cultural life with a world premiere of a new opera, A Scandal in Bohemia. Based on a  Sherlock Holmes short story by Arthur Conan Doyle, this opera is the fourth opus created by longtime collaborators Nat Anderson, professor of English literature and librettist, and Tom Whitman '82, associate professor of music and composer.  They have also collaborated on two other operas, The Black Swan (1998) and Sukey in the Dark (2001), as well as a choral piece. Listen to the full conversation about their collaboration and read more in the Evening Bulletin.

Orchestra 2001 Artistic Director and Daniel Underhill Professor Emeritus of Music James Freeman will conduct the cast, which includes Tenor Markus Beam as Sherlock Holmes; Bass Julian Rodescu as the Reader, King, and Minister; Baritone David Kravitz '86  as Dr. John Watson and Mr. Godfrey Norton; and soprano Laura Heimes as Irene Adler, an opera singer.

The world premiere of A Scandal in Bohemia takes place Fri., Feb. 6, at 8 p.m. at the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater in Philadelphia. For ticket prices and more information, call (215) 893-1999 or visit www.ticketphiladelphia.com. A second free performance will take place at Swarthmore on Sun., Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m. in Lang Concert Hall.