The Florida State University College of Music is preparing to welcome audiences into a powerful world of grit, hope, and soaring American music with its upcoming production of Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men at 7:30 p.m. October 30 and 3:00 p.m. on November 1 in Ruby Diamond Concert Hall. Part of a nationwide centennial celebration honoring the legendary composer (1926–2021), this production is more than a standard campus performance – it is a profound homecoming that reinforces FSU’s connection to one of the defining voices of American opera.
Floyd’s academic and creative journey began at FSU when he was hired at the age of 21 by then School of Music dean Karl Kuersteiner to serve as a member of the piano faculty. It was at FSU that Floyd premiered his first and most enduring masterpiece, Susannah, in 1955. When the New York City Opera picked up the production the following year, Floyd was thrust into the national spotlight, establishing a brilliant career that included works like Wuthering Heights for the Santa Fe Opera and, eventually, Of Mice and Men, which premiered with the Seattle Opera in 1970.
Based on John Steinbeck’s stage adaptation of his classic 1937 novella, Of Mice and Men follows George and Lennie, two migrant farm workers chasing a fragile version of the American dream.
“Of Mice and Men may be Carlisle Floyd’s best opera,” said visiting stage director Kristine McIntyre. “Floyd doesn’t romanticize the story, nor does he pull any punches. The tragedy hits hard, but it’s also an opera filled with joy and hope.”
“It celebrates friendship and commitment to our fellow human beings and has one of my favorite qualities of American opera,” continued McIntyre. “It depicts the lives of ordinary people, made extraordinary by the quality of the music Floyd gave them to sing.”
To bring the story to life, McIntyre has collaborated with an elite creative team, including scenic and projection designer Luke Cantarella, lighting designer Kate Ashton, and costume designer Kara Harmon. Rather than relying on standard tropes, the production draws inspiration from the photographic record of 20th-century America—specifically the pioneering documentary work of Dorothea Lange, alongside later photographers like Marion Post Wolcott, Sid Avery, and Ernest Lowe.
Cantarella even traveled directly to “Steinbeck country” to capture original cinematic video footage for the production’s projections. This visual design grounds the narrative in historical authenticity while expanding its lens to honor California’s diverse agricultural history. The innovative use of projections also allows the audience to experience the world directly through Lennie’s eyes, centering the perspective of a character Steinbeck famously described as embodying “the inarticulate and powerful yearning of all men.”
Brought to life by some of FSU’s finest student singers and instrumentalists, the production is led musically by conductor Bernard McDonald, FSU’s Director of Opera Activities, who guides the performers through a score renowned for its technical challenge and emotional resonance.
As College of Music dean M. Todd Queen reflects in his opening remarks for the production, “Carlisle Floyd changed the world of opera, and in turn the idiom of American opera would never be the same. It is a privilege to connect his past to our present here in Tallahassee where we still deeply miss this musical and soulful genius.”
By blending historical depth, student artistry, and a celebration of one of American opera’s most foundational figures, FSU’s Of Mice and Men promises to be an unforgettable theatrical experience—honoring a musical genius by breathing vibrant new life into his timeless work.
This special staging of Floyd’s Of Mice and Men is presented as a proud co-production alongside the Houston Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Des Moines Metro Opera, uniting major national institutions under the banner of the Carlisle Floyd Centennial project.
If you go:
Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men
October 30 at 7:30 p.m.
November 1 at 3:00 p.m.
Ruby Diamond Concert Hall
(Preconcert lectures one hour before curtain in Wescott 060)
Reserved seating. Tickets are $20 for adults; $15 for seniors and non-FSU students; and $10 for FSU students with ID. Tickets available from the Fine Arts Ticket Office and online at tickets.music.fsu.edu.
