Musical artist Rhiannon Giddens on the journey of making 'Omar'

Omar ibn Said was a Muslim scholar from Senegal who, during decades of captivity in the Carolinas, wrote texts in Arabic, including his autobiography.
The autobiography is the basis for "Omar," an opera by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels commissioned by Spoleto Festival USA.
After five years of preparation and two postponements because of the COVID pandemic, the opera made its world premiere in Charleston's Spoleto USA festival.