February 25, 2025

MSM Symphony Orchestra presents Opera in Concert this Wednesday, FEB 26, and Thursday, FEB 27, at 7:30 PM in Neidorff-Karpati Hall. Along with William Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony, the MSM Symphony Orchestra will collaborate with MSM Opera Theatre to present Act III of The Crucible.

We spoke with first-year master’s student Justin Hong who performs the role of Giles Corey in The Crucible — he tells us about the concert and his time at MSM so far!

MEET JUSTIN HONG (MM ’26)

Originally from Leonia, New Jersey, Justin Hong is a tenor pursuing his master’s degree in classical voice at MSM, where he studies with Dimitri Pittas. Prior to MSM, Justin graduated from Boston University with a bachelor’s in music education. He first discovered his love for singing through high school choir and is incredibly grateful to be studying voice many years later.

ATTEND Opera in Concert

FEB 26 & 27 | WED & THURS
7:30 PM

Act III of The Crucible

Music by Robert Ward
Libretto by Bernard Stambler

William Dawson’s
Negro Folk Symphony

Andrew Grams, Conductor
Felicity Stiverson, Director

Free, tickets required 

Neidorff-Karpati Hall

For those who may not know the opera, can you tell us about The Crucible?

Justin: The Crucible is an opera by Robert Ward that tells the story of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. In Act III, the town of Salem convenes in a courtroom to judge the accused. Truths are revealed, plans are foiled, love is tested, and hysteria strikes the courtroom. Act III eventually erupts into complete chaos.

Tell us about the role you’re performing—how have you stepped into this character’s shoes?

Justin: I’m singing the role of Giles Corey. Giles is a farmer whose wife, Martha Corey, is accused of being a witch. Giles is directly based on a real farmer of the same name from the Salem witch trials. According to some records, he refused all accusations of witchcraft and was pressed to death by heavy rocks over the course of multiple days, with his final words reportedly being “More weight.” Information like this has helped me explore the mindset of Giles and realize how high the stakes were during the trials.

Why do you think people should come see this concert? 

Justin: The performance is incredibly intense and explores themes that feel especially relevant in today’s world. Additionally, the orchestration is cinematically beautiful, and the vocal lines are incredibly impactful.

Why did you decide to study at MSM?

Justin: It all came down to my amazing teacher, Dimitri Pittas! I was incredibly fortunate to have options when choosing programs for my graduate studies, but Dimitri’s pedagogy and passion for teaching really stuck with me. I was also really excited to come back to the city because I grew up in Queens for part of my childhood.

Could you tell us something your character would love if they were alive today?

Justin:  I feel like Giles would appreciate modern agricultural technology. I mean, imagine being a farmer from the 17th century and seeing things like sprinklers, moisture detectors, tractors, etc. I’d go crazy! I bet Giles would too!

Would you like to learn more about the MSM production Opera in Concert? Meet Owne Xayboury (BM ’26), a violist in MSM Symphony Orchestra!