▁League ▁player ▁to ▁be ▁induct ed ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁Baseball ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame . ▁The ▁Summer ▁King ▁had ▁its ▁world ▁premi ere ▁at ▁Pitts burgh ▁Opera ▁in ▁Pitts burgh , ▁Pennsylvania ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁Background ▁and ▁in ception ▁ ▁Compos er ▁Son enberg ▁was ▁so ▁taken ▁with ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁Neg ro ▁League ▁baseball ▁great ▁Josh ▁Gib son , ▁that ▁he ▁devoted ▁th ir teen ▁years ▁of ▁his ▁life ▁to ▁writing ▁an ▁opera ▁about ▁the ▁legend . ▁Sa id ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁“ h ul king ▁catch er ,” ▁Gib son ’ s ▁remarkable ▁skills ▁at ▁bat ▁gained ▁him ▁the ▁nick name : ▁“ The ▁Black ▁B abe ▁Ruth ”. ▁Al ong ▁with ▁Jack ie ▁Robinson , ▁Gib son ▁was ▁integral ▁in ▁the ▁dis m ant ling ▁of ▁seg reg ated ▁baseball , ▁but ▁never ▁got ▁the ▁chance ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁Major ▁Le agues . ▁Gib son ▁died ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 3 5 ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁▁ ▁The ▁Summer ▁King ▁was ▁first ▁commission ed ▁by ▁“ Port land ▁O v ations ” ▁at ▁M err ill ▁Aud itor ium ▁in ▁Port land , ▁Maine . ▁With ▁financial ▁support ▁from ▁such ▁found ations ▁as ▁American ▁Opera ▁Project s , ▁the ▁National ▁End ow ment ▁for ▁the ▁Arts , ▁and ▁Andrew ▁W . ▁M ell on ▁Foundation , ▁it ▁was ▁scheduled ▁to ▁close ▁out ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 - 2 0