NO! SWEET POTATO! DON’T DO IT!!! But Sweet Potato can’t resist, so kicks the sun clear out of the sky! Right as all are calling the sun home, Sweet Potato causes another fiasco! Now there is little hope of the sun’s return. Meanwhile a very special person is keenly following every detail, and just may step in to help. Sweet Potato lives in a rooftop garden with best friend 89, a hummingbird who follows rules, respects boundaries, and tries against crushing odds to keep Sweet Potato in line. They and others – Baby Honeybees, Pigeons, and Squirrel – are cared for by Grandfather Beekeeper and Grandmother Seed-Keeper. Everyone adores Sweet Potato, who enlivens their garden with kaleidoscopic curiosity and energy. But this time Tater has gone too far. Grandfather orders 89 to accompany Sweet Potato to the summit of City Park Mountain, where he hopes the rebel grandchild will gain some wisdom. On their path into unfamiliar territory, the friends encounter fascinating critters and receive mysterious messages. They overcome obstacles with comic flair, cleverness, and courage as a fresh quest sends them beyond the mountaintop to search for the secret to the sun’s return. Along the way, Sweet Potato and 89 join forces with the special guest whose dazzling talents help them save the day. Back in the garden, sad news awaits. But in the end there is also much to celebrate. Sunlight, birdsongs, and honeybee buzzes return at last to the rooftop —yet with a surprising twist thanks to you know who.

COMMISSIONED BY A consortium of opera companies led by Santa Fe Opera in association with San Francisco Opera that includes: Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Minnesota Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Sarasota Opera and Seattle Opera

RUNNING TIME 90 minutes, no intermission