Considering Matthew Shepard: Staged Choral Production

Consonance revisits Craig Hella Johnson’s oratorio Considering Matthew Shepard in what would have been Matthew Shepard’s 50th birthday year—a powerful and deeply relevant work that invites reflection, compassion, and remembrance. This staged production of the powerful oratorio reflects on the life and legacy of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old college student in Wyoming who was murdered in October of 1998 in a hate crime because he was gay. His death became a national turning point, sparking conversations about anti-LGBTQ+ violence that eventually led to federal hate-crime legislation bearing his name.
Considering Matthew Shepard is a three-part oratorio, in which composer Craig Hella Johnson wove together texts from Hildegard of Bingen, Rumi, poets Michael Dennis Browne and Lesléa Newman, Matt’s own journal entries, his parents’ words, and news reporting from 1998 into a single work that moves across a wide range of musical styles. The result isn’t one voice telling one story. Instead, it’s many voices layered together: a medieval mystic, a contemporary poet, a grieving family, a newspaper account, all held inside the same piece. Since its 2016 premiere (ten years ago exactly) it’s been performed by hundreds of choirs around the world. Through music that is both intimate and profound, this work invites us to remember, to reflect, and to recommit ourselves to dignity, understanding, and love.
After the performances
A talkback session will follow each performance with Matthew Shepard hate crime historian and LGBTQ+ advocate Greg R. Baird. He has over 30 years experience as a civil rights speaker and educator, and is the executive producer of a documentary on Matthew’s story. It’s a chance to keep the conversation going once the music ends.