Opera about Nazi war refugee to open in Kentfield

The College of Marin Summer Opera will open its season with a musical rendition of the Oliver Sacks' story "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat."

The show, which runs tomorrow through June 26, is the first Bay Area performance of the little-known opera, written a few years after Sacks' novel hit bestseller lists.

The tale is a true story about a Nazi war refugee and composer who suffers from a rare visual disorder. With the help of his wife, he withdraws from the outside world, touching others only through his music.

The opera adaptation, written by Michael Nyman, will be produced by College of Marin music director Paul Smith and stage director Michael Berg.

Opening for the opera will be the premiere performance of Berkeley composer Jules Langert's "Minutes to the Last Trumpet," a comedic opera of a religious sect awaiting the apocalypse.

The evening begins at 8 p.m. tomorrow in the college's fine arts theater, Sir Francis Drake Boulevard at College Avenue in Kentfield. Tickets will be issued at the door for a suggested donation. For information, call (415) 485-9668.