A ride on the Marrakesh Express

After an eight-year hiatus, Lowell House Opera returned to its historical performance space — the Lowell House dining hall — with a production of “Postcard from Morocco.” Set in a train station in 1914, the opera explores the human mind through seven travelers, each of whom is characterized by a possession.

The February performances marked the company’s homecoming after having moved their productions to other campus venues during the two-year renovation of Lowell House, with COVID-19 causing a further delay.

For its winter performance, set designers used stained glass film to cover the dining hall’s windows and had colored lights cast architectural shadows; together they transformed the space into a bustling train station.

“We really value an equal playing field for seasoned professionals and emerging artists,” said Benjamin Rossen ’23, the Lowell House Opera’s executive director, as well as “Postcard’s” music director and conductor.

Among the show’s cast, orchestra, and crew are Harvard students, alumni, a faculty member, professional opera singers, and students from several Boston-area schools.

Planning for the show started in the summer of 2024. Between mid-January and opening night on Feb. 21, performers rehearsed three to four hours a day to prepare for their roles.

“The performers inhabited their roles with astonishing ease,” said stage director Haley Stark ’25. “With minimal direction, they brought their characters to life in ways that felt deeply intuitive.”

The Lowell House Opera is already working on its next production, “Parade in Concert: The Trial Behind the Tragedy,” in collaboration with Harvard Hillel. Performances will be held at Harvard Hillel on April 26-27.