PLAGUE MASS

PLAGUE MASS
a new opera

July 26th, 1985: Hollywood heartthrob and closeted gay man ROCK HUDSON sends a shockwave through American culture by announcing his diagnosis with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome — AIDS. From AIDS activists fighting for their lives to movie stars in Hollywood and politicians at the highest levels of government,  the disease is suddenly perceived completely differently: for some, AIDS went from a disease that only existed tin news reports to an illness affecting someone they knew. For others, a glimmer of hope appeared for the first time that the disease would be taken seriously and that a cure could be found. With ROCK on his deathbed, the spirit of KEITH HARING casts a spell to convene ELIZABETH TAYLOR, MATHILDE KRIM, and RONALD REAGAN — who perform a ritual to send ROCK to the next life and ask for salvation for those of us still here.

Created by six composers and five librettists, PLAGUE MASS explores what connects us in a time of crisis across divisions of power, class, and identity.

PERFORMANCES

November 19, 2026 | 8:00 p.m.
November 21, 2026 | 3:00 p.m.
November 21, 2026 | 8:00 p.m.

SPEYER HALL | UNIVERSITY SETTLEMENT | LOWER EAST SIDE

FEATURING

JORDAN RUTTER-COVATTO as KEITH HARING
DAVEED BUZAGLO as ROCK HUDSON
MELAINA MILLS as ELIZABETH TAYLOR
DANIELLE BUONAIUTO as MATHILDE KRIM
DANIEL KLEIN as RONALD REAGAN

with music by JORDAN RUTTER-COVATTO, JASMINE GALANTE, SARAH GENEVIEVE BURGHART RICE, JOSEPH N. RUBINSTEIN, LUCAS TAHIRUZZAMAN SYED, and DEREK WEAGLE

lyrics by CLARE BIERMAN, JOHNNY LLOYD, CHIARA M. N., HEATHER O'DONOVAN, and FRED SAUTER

book by JORDAN RUTTER-COVATTO

directed by SAM HELFRICH

“Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble
and He delivered them from their distress.
He sent out His word and healed them;
He rescued them from the grave.”

Psalm 107: 20-2

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