▁invited ▁Son enberg ▁to ▁premi ere ▁the ▁opera ▁on ▁its ▁following ▁season ▁program . ▁▁ ▁Se an ▁Gib son , ▁Gib s ons ’ s ▁great - grand son , ▁was ▁a ▁guest ▁at ten de e ▁at ▁the ▁performance . ▁ ▁In ▁anticip ation ▁of ▁the ▁performance , ▁a ▁panel ▁discussion ▁entitled : ▁“ The ▁Summer ▁King ▁in ▁Winter ▁- ▁A ▁P anel ▁Disc uss ion ▁on ▁Integr ation ▁and ▁the ▁Dem ise ▁of ▁the ▁Neg ro ▁Baseball ▁Le agues ” ▁with ▁the ▁composer ▁leading ▁a ▁talk ▁on ▁the ▁characters ▁from ▁the ▁opera ▁took ▁place . ▁Bass ▁Kenneth ▁Kel log g ▁sang ▁a ▁selection ▁from ▁the ▁opera . ▁Kel log g ▁later ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁star ▁as ▁Gib son ’ s ▁friend ▁Sam ▁in ▁the ▁Pitts burgh ▁premi ere . ▁▁ ▁The ▁world ▁premi ere ▁took ▁place ▁at ▁Pitts burgh ▁Opera ▁on ▁Saturday , ▁April ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁with ▁Anton y ▁Walker , ▁conduct or ▁and ▁Sam ▁H elf rich , ▁director . ▁Alfred ▁Walker ▁played ▁Gib son , ▁Jac qu eline ▁E ch ols ▁his ▁wife ▁Helen , ▁and ▁Den y ce ▁Gra ves , ▁Grace . ▁It ▁was ▁noted ▁that ▁players ▁from ▁the ▁Pitts burgh ▁Ste el ers ▁and ▁Pitts burgh ▁Pir ates ▁made ▁special ▁came o ▁appearances ▁on ▁stage , ▁as ▁did ▁Gib son ’ s ▁great - grand son . ▁▁ ▁The ▁Summer ▁King ▁is ▁sl ated ▁for ▁production ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁with ▁Michigan ▁Opera ▁Theatre .. ▁