A new work in Washington from composer Damien Geter and librettist Jarrod Lee depicts the life and legend of the great guitarist.
By
Heidi Waleson
Dec. 9, 2025 at 5:49 pm ET
Albert R. Lee, Marvin Wayne, Anthony Ballard, Christian Simmons STORY MODE
Washington
At a compact 45 minutes, “The Delta King’s Blues,” given its world premiere by IN Series here on Saturday, proved an efficient showcase for the talents of composer Damien Geter. Unlike his full-evening operas “American Apollo” (2024) and “Loving v. Virginia” (2025), which had dramaturgical longueurs, this piece told its story without fuss.
It was an interesting musical challenge. The opera is about Robert Johnson (1911-1938), known as the Father of the Blues, who, legend has it, sold his soul to the devil at a crossroads in Mississippi in return for his uncanny skill on the guitar. Mr. Geter and his librettist, Jarrod Lee, had to render the tale with opera singers, not guitar players, on stage. Rather than trying to replicate Johnson’s distinctive sound, the composer superimposed typical blues instruments (alto saxophone, guitar, piano, drum set) over a classical string quartet plus double bass to make up the accompanying chamber ensemble, providing flavor rather than mimicry.
Mr. Lee’s colloquial libretto explores Robert’s motivations: His mother’s death leaves him adrift, and he wants to impress the other musicians (Willy and Son) and the pretty bartender Virginia in the juke joint, who all laugh at his first fumbling efforts. After successfully tempting him with money and fame, the Devil offers the most important lesson—he must use his experience and pain to inspire his music. That ability, rather than just technique, the story suggests, is what made Johnson special and fueled the blues. Other versions of the Faustian bargain tale end in regret; in this one, Johnson is content with his choice.
Mr. Lee and Melissa Wimbish STORY MODE
The musical shifts in tone keep the narrative flowing. A folky, hymnlike introductory piano tune suggests Robert’s origins; it soon morphs into an eerie, skittering riff from the string ensemble as he mourns at his mother’s grave and then into the bluesy syncopations of the bar. That opening motif returns at the very end, suggesting that Robert has some second thoughts about selling his soul, but they are quickly suppressed in the noisy, triumphant climax. There are poignant, well-constructed arias for Robert (the eloquent tenor Albert R. Lee) and playful, seductive turns for the Devil (Christian Simmons, a velvety bass with some dramatic low notes). As Virginia, soprano Melissa Wimbish was arresting in her solo moment, a sexy bad-girl blues. Mr. Geter incorporated his own versions of some Johnson songs, such as “Come On in My Kitchen” and “Cross Road Blues.” They were considerably mellower than the originals—we got a taste of what those might have been like from a brief preview set performed by the blues guitarist and singer Memphis Gold.
Performed in a black box pop-up theater in the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood, the minimalist production featured a simple set (chairs and tables, a platform and some corrugated panels for the bar; a cross on some artificial turf off to one side for the grave) by Josh Sticklin and lighting by Paul Callahan. Alicia Washington’sdirection was clear, though she was understandably flummoxed about how to stage musician characters who don’t play their instruments and resorted to miming and posing. (These included Marvin Wayne as Willy and Anthony Ballard as Son in addition to Robert and the Devil.) A subtheme about drinking whiskey was also confusing. Rakell Foye supplied the period costumes—the Devil got a dapper suit and hat, and Robert’s outfit changed from country-boy drab to a slick purple outfit when he became the Delta King. Darren Lin was the capable conductor.
The show runs through Dec. 14 in Washington and then moves to 2640 Space in Baltimore for performances Dec. 19-21.
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