On October 6, 1998, twenty-one-year-old Matthew Shepard, a gay college student attending the University of Wyoming was robbed, beaten, tied to a buck-rail fence and abandoned. The next day – eighteen hours after the attack – he was discovered and taken to a hospital. He never regained consciousness and died five days later.
Craig Hella Johnson, composer and conductor of Conspirare, a choral ensemble based in Austin, Texas has turned the tragedy of Matthew Shepard’s death into a beautiful, modern passion oratorio. Considering Matthew Shepard reminds us that while hate is powerful, love is stronger - compelling us to seek compassion, inclusiveness and justice.
On March 6, 7 and 8 we will present the local premiere of this gripping, powerful work.
We are not charging admission. We ask our patrons to give what they can at the door to benefit Harmony at Home. This organization's mission is to end cycles of violence and abuse by focusing on children and young adults and giving them the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead healthy and productive lives. This marks our third benefit concert for a social service agency. To date, thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we have donated $17,500 to three social service agencies in Monterey County.