Friday, November 21, 2025, 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 22, 2025, 3:00 pm
Sunday, November 23, 2025, 3:00 pm
Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Carnegie, PA
“The heart that beats in all of us wants to love without limitation. The heart that beats in all of us shows us who we are.”
Join us the weekend before Thanksgiving for the regional premiere of Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke’s The Jungle Book! This opera for all ages tells the story of Mowgli, an endangered human cub who seeks refuge in the jungle with a pack of wolves. The classic Rudyard Kipling story is reinterpreted by Sankaram and Rourke emphasizing themes of community, empathy, and inclusion, sending a powerful message about embracing those who are different, and recognizing “the heart that beats in all of us.” Sankaram creates a powerful sense of place in the score by weaving elements of classical Indian music including ragas and vocal percussion.
Originally commissioned by The Glimmerglass Festival. Extended version commissioned by Washington National Opera
Cast & Creatives
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Lianne Fileta
MOWGLI
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Timothi Williams
RAKSHA
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Sergio Martinez
BALOO
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Samina Aslam
BAGHEERA
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Karlos Piñero-Mercado
SHERE KHAN
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Adrianna Cleveland
HYENA
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Hudson Vasquez Schmitt
LITTLE BROTHER
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Pittsburgh Youth Chorus
WOLF PACK
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Kamala Sankaram
COMPOSER
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Kelley Rourke
LIBRETTIST
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Eve Summer
STAGE DIRECTOR
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Maria Sensi Sellner
CONDUCTOR/PRODUCER
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Michael Griska
SITAR
In our Jungle you will find many familiar ResWorks favorites, including a continued partnership with The Pittsburgh Youth Chorus as the wolf pack, mezzo-soprano Timothi Williams (The Little Prince, La donna del lago) as Raksha, the wolf pack matriarch, bass Sergio Martinez (Rigoletto) as Baloo, the bear and tutor to the young wolves, soprano Samina Aslam (This Love Between Us) as Bagheera, a cosmopolitan panther and friend of the pack, and Adrianna Cleveland (Little Prince) as Hyena, sidekick/henchman to Shere Khan, the tiger, portrayed by tenor Karlos Piñero-Mercado in their ResWorks and Pittsburgh debut! Stage director Eve Summer returns to lead us through the Jungle, after great success with La donna del lago last year, and we continue our collaboration with sitarist Michael Griska (This Love Between Us) for this special production.
This production is supported by an OPERA America Next Stage Grant and by the Arts, Equity, and Education Fund
Performance extras:
🎨 Activity Bags for Kids: The first 50 children at each performance will receive a fun activity bag—be sure to grab yours early!
🖍️ Coloring Books: For the young at heart, we’ll have extra coloring books to take home—perfect for those who love a creative outlet.
🎁 Special Giveaway: We’ll be giving away a special Jungle Book-inspired gift basket at each performance. Drop a ticket in the box when you check in to enter. A winner will be randomly selected just before show time, and announced during the curtain speech at each performance.
🎶 Each performance will begin with an introduction and demonstration of Indian Classical Music elements by special guest, sitarist Michael Griska!
🎟️ Enter our raffle for chances to win amazing prizes (a one-of-a-kind designer coat, a painting by WQED-FM’s Anna Singer, and more) while supporting ResWorks!
Resonance Chamber Orchestra
Violin I
Sandro Leal-Santiesteban - concertmaster
Ashley Freeburn
Violin II
Juan Jaramillo
Kathleen Andrews McMasters
Viola
Johann Diaz Ramirez
Nathan Gaynor
Cello
Ryan Ash
Cecilia Caughman
Bass
Jesica Sharp Crewe
Flute
Cassandra Eisenreich
Percussion
Abby Langhorst
Xueqing Wu
Piano/Harmonium
Nathália Kato Giordano
Wolf Cub Chorus
Lilly Allman
Amelia Brehm
Isabella Carnino
Alivia Chiancone
Sydney Cummings
Violet Gabriel
Jacqueline Germer
Emily Harmanos
Maddison Hill
Ethan Himes
Tilly Macinnis
Grace Nasci
Ellie Palko
Kenn Reiber
Sammie Rozel
Lilia Schmidt
Jaida Shelley
Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall
300 Beechwood Ave.
Carnegie, PA 15106
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There are a limited number of reserved accessible parking spots near the library, but the shuttle from the lower lot is not ADA accessible. If you have mobility issues, and the library lot is filled, the venue's recommendation is to be dropped off at the Studio entrance (to the left of the Music Hall entrance), go down the ramp to the Studio door, then take the elevator to the first floor. We recognize this isn't ideal, and we'll be marking additional spots as accessible beyond the permanent ones.
Once inside the building, the interior of the main floor of the theater is at a slight incline. Primary access to the balcony is via a staircase, but there is a somewhat circuitous route that will get you to the top level of the balcony via the elevator. There are steps down to the seats from there, however (with the exception of row F). Ask at the box office for directions if you need elevator access to the balcony.
Storytime Preview Event
Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.
We’re teaming up with the Librarians of Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, PA for a free, all-ages preview event of The Jungle Book!
Starting at 11:00 AM, visitors will be treated to a themed craft activity, a short reading from Kipling’s original novel, and live performances by cast members of our upcoming production of The Jungle Book!
It’s a perfect activity for the young (or the young at heart)! We can’t wait to see you there!