The Scarlet Professor

The Scarlet Professor is an opera by the American composer Eric Sawyer with libretto by Harley Erdman, based on the biography[1] by Barry Werth.

The world premieres of the fully staged opera occurred on September 15–17, 2017, at Smith College where the events that inspired the performance took place.

The following weekend the opera was performed with a cast of young artists from the Five Colleges consortium of Western Massachusetts.

The 9-piece instrumental ensemble consisted of piano, percussion, flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone, and strings, with both electric and double bass.

"[3] The Scarlet Professor won the 2019 American Prize in opera composition.

Ned Spofford (William Hite) with Newton Arvin (Keith Phares) in a scene from The Scarlet Professor