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Join us for a thought-provoking series of events, including The Constitution and Loving v. Virginia legal panels, the inspiring play with music A Loving Community, and an engaging Artists in Conversation session. Each program offers a unique opportunity to reflect, connect, and engage with this powerful story of love and equality. All events are free and open to the public and reservation links can be found below where applicable.
We are grateful to our sponsors for making this programming possible: Altria, Arts Alliance, CultureWorks, the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
For A Loving Community, we extend a special thanks to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia for their invaluable contributions in curating the display panels that enhance this project, adding depth and historical insight to the experience.
The Commissioning Club was created to bring together fans of opera, symphonic music and a great Virginia story in order to create the Loving v. Virginia opera. The Club started in 2022 and is an experiential fundraising journey that takes you through every stage of the opera's development through to opening night.
The Constitution and Loving v. Virginia
Legal scholars and historians discuss the history and significance of the landmark 1967 Supreme Court decision in Loving v. Virginia, which struck down bans on interracial marriage in the United States.
Panel participants will include Mary Bauer, Executive Director of ACLU-VA, as well as other constitutional scholars, historians, active attorneys and/or judges, and experts in the area. There will be a brief Q&A session following each discussion.
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Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center
Thursday, February 6 at 7 PM
3740 Blenheim Blvd in FairfaxPanel participants will include Mary Bauer, Executive Director of ACLU-VA, Eric M. Caplan, Visiting Assistant Professor of History at Wesleyan University, Dr. Erin Chapman, Associate Professor of History at George Mason University, and is moderated by Stephen Jacques Wermiel, Professor of the Practice in Constitutional Law at American University.
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Downtown Branch at Slover
Thursday, February 20 at 6:00 PM
235 E Plume Street in NorfolkPanel participants will include Mary Bauer, Executive Director of ACLU-VA, Assistant Professor of Government at William & Mary, Christine Nemacheck, and Associate Professor of Law at the University of Richmond, Marissa Jackson Sow. There will be a brief Q & A session following the discussion. Sponsored by Arts Alliance, Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the NEA.
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Library of Virginia
Wednesday, February 26 at 6 PM
800 E Broad Street in RichmondPanel participants will include Mary Bauer, Executive Director of ACLU-VA, Kim Forde-Mazrui, Mortimer M. Caplin Professor of Law at the University of Virginia, and Author Peter Wallenstein, Professor of History at Virginia Tech. There will be a brief Q & A session following the discussion. Sponsored by Altria, Virginia Commission for the Arts, the NEA, CultureWorks, and E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.
Pride In Black Voices: A Loving Community
Blending powerful storytelling with music from the civil rights era of the 1950s and 1960s, A Loving Community also features excerpts from the highly anticipated new opera, Loving v. Virginia, premiering in April/May 2025 as a co-commission with the Richmond Symphony. This 60-minute program is performed by Virginia Opera’s talented Herndon Foundation Emerging Artists and will conclude with a brief Q&A session.
Designed for audiences aged 15 and older, A Loving Community offers a poignant and enriching exploration of history, music, and social change, making it an ideal program for junior high students through adults.
February 22 at 6PM
Churchland High School
4301 Cedar Lane, Portsmouth, VA
February 27 at 6PM
Virginia Museum of History and Culture
428 N Arthur Ashe Boulevard, Richmond
Featuring a special performance from the Richmond Symphony Principal String Quartet
Join Commissioning Club
The Commissioning Club was created to bring together fans of opera, symphonic music and a great Virginia story in order to create the Loving v. Virginia opera. The Club started in 2022 and is an experiential fundraising journey that takes you through every stage of the opera's development through to opening night.
The Club has two homes in Richmond and Norfolk.
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