Belhaven Alumnus and Instructor Joshua Nichols Earns National Recognition for New Opera

JACKSON, Miss. (November 10, 2026) – Belhaven University alumnus and adjunct instructor Joshua Daniel Nichols is receiving national recognition for his new opera, Jefferson Lives!, which will make its world premiere November 7–8 at The Flea Theater in New York City.

Nichols, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance (Organ) with a minor in Biblical Studies from Belhaven in 2013, currently serves as a dance musician and adjunct instructor in the University’s Dance Department. His opera has received national arts coverage and federal support ahead of its premiere, presented by Teatro Grattacielo in collaboration with Polyhymnia.

Created as the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its independence, Jefferson Lives! explores the intellectual, political, and personal struggles surrounding the nation’s founding. Nichols composed the score, with a libretto by Stefanos Koroneos based on the historical narrative of James R. Harrigan.

Inspired by the final words attributed to John Adams, “Thomas Jefferson still lives,” the opera brings a contemporary narrator into an encounter with Adams’s ghost. Through their exchange, the work examines the ideals, sacrifices, and difficult choices that shaped the American Revolution and the founding of the republic.

Nichols’s score combines the musical inheritance of early America with a contemporary compositional approach, placing historical melodies and ideas within a new dramatic setting.The National Endowment for the Arts awarded Teatro Grattacielo a $24,000 grant to support the production. The project has also received support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, which featured Jefferson Lives! on its website. Its educational initiatives include presentations for students, public lectures, and a planned scholarly publication exploring the historical and philosophical questions raised by the opera.

The premiere has drawn coverage from BroadwayWorld and OperaWire and was included in Cultural Attaché’s cultural recommendations for November 2–8. The opera is also the subject of a special episode of the Night Class podcast featuring composer and commentator Daniel Asia.

In addition to his work at Belhaven, Nichols is a composer, organist, and educator whose compositions include opera, chamber music, piano works, and sacred choral music. His album, Metropolis: The Piano Music of Joshua Nichols, was released by Summit Records and has received critical praise.