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The Many Deaths of Laila Starr: Graphic Novel Gets an Opera Adaptation

The Minnesota Opera will adapt The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, a graphic novel by Ram V. and Filipe Andrade, into an opera production.

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Article Summary

  • The Many Deaths of Laila Starr to become an opera by Minnesota Opera and BOOM! Studios.
  • Kamala Sankaram and Minita Gandhi to create music for the operatic adaptation.
  • The story beautifully intertwines life, death, and rebirth through Laila Starr's journey.
  • Acclaimed graphic novel The Many Deaths of Laila Starr receives Eisner Award nod and now opera adaptation.

The Minnesota Opera, in collaboration with BOOM Studios, announced today the development of an operatic adaptation of The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, based on the acclaimed BOOM! Studios comic by writer Ram V, artist Filipe Andrade, colorist Inês Amaro, and letterer Andworld Design. It's not every day that comics get opera adaptations. You'd think it would happen more often, but well, we finally have one.

The Many Deaths of Laila Starr: Graphic Novel Gets an Opera Adaptation
Boom! Studio

The Many Deaths of Laila Starr is part of the Minnesota Opera company's New Works initiative with composer Kamala Sankaram and librettist Minita Gandhi creating a piano workshop in November 2024 consisting of individual musical coachings and ensemble rehearsals allowing the pair to receive feedback on the upcoming piece. Working in coordination with MN Opera's Artistic Planning Team, Sankaram and Gandhi secured the rights to adapt the story from author Ram V, illustrator Filipe Andrade, and publisher BOOM! Studios earlier this year.

"It's an honor to have one of the most acclaimed graphic novels that BOOM! Studios has ever published, The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, make history by becoming the first graphic novel to be adapted as an opera," said Stephen Christy, President of Development for BOOM! Studios. "I'm thankful to our collaborators at the Minnesota Opera Company and our fearless creative team of Kamala Sankaram and Minita Gandhi for their groundbreaking vision in adapting Ram V and Filip Andrade's meditation on life and death to the stage."

The Many Deaths of Laila Starr graphic novel explores themes of life, death, and rebirth through a magical-realism lens. The story follows Laila Starr, an avatar of Death, who is cast down to Earth after humanity discovers immortality. As she intersects with the life of Darius, the boy responsible for this discovery, Laila experiences multiple deaths and resurrections, gaining new perspectives on mortality and the meaning of existence. Through its poetic narrative and vibrant artwork, the story offers a profound meditation on the beauty and impermanence of life and thus absolutely suited to an opera. They don't call these types of stories "operatic" for nothing. The Many Deaths of Laila Starr was published by BOOM! Studios, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, and received an Eisner Award nomination for Best Limited Series in 2022.

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Adi TantimedhAbout Adi Tantimedh

Adi Tantimedh is a filmmaker, screenwriter and novelist. He wrote radio plays for the BBC Radio, “JLA: Age of Wonder” for DC Comics, “Blackshirt” for Moonstone Books, and “La Muse” for Big Head Press. Most recently, he wrote “Her Nightly Embrace”, “Her Beautiful Monster” and “Her Fugitive Heart”, a trilogy of novels featuring a British-Indian private eye published by Atria Books, a division Simon & Schuster.
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