tto ▁by ▁Y use f ▁Kom un y ak aa . ▁It ▁premier ed ▁March ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁at ▁O ma ha , ▁Neb r aska ' s ▁Or phe um . ▁It ▁is ▁about ▁a ▁contemporary ▁Pon ca ▁family ▁and ▁the ▁spiritual ▁journey ▁of ▁their ▁son , ▁who ▁is ▁deeply ▁connected ▁to ▁a ▁noted ▁chief , ▁Stand ing ▁Bear , ▁and ▁an ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁trial ▁he ▁won ▁in ▁a ▁United ▁States ▁court . ▁ ▁Several ▁well - known ▁people ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁of ▁opera ▁and ▁other ▁musical ▁and ▁the atr ical ▁works ▁have ▁been ▁involved ▁in ▁its ▁production . ▁Direct ed ▁by ▁Rh oda ▁Lev ine , ▁the ▁cast ▁included ▁Eug ene ▁Perry , ▁Patrick ▁Kil co y ne , ▁Arnold ▁Raw ls , ▁William ▁Fer g us on , ▁Krist opher ▁I rm iter , ▁Mar a ▁Bon de , ▁Ph yll is ▁Pan cel la , ▁Joe ▁Fitz ger ald , ▁Earl ▁Howard ▁and ▁several ▁other ▁opera ▁veter ans . ▁ ▁Story ▁▁▁ ▁W ak onda ’ s ▁Dream ▁is ▁about ▁a ▁contemporary ▁Native ▁American ▁family , ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁historical ▁events ▁and ▁court ▁case ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁in ▁Neb r aska , ▁in ▁which ▁American ▁Indians ▁were ▁recognized ▁as ▁“ human ▁be ings ▁under ▁the ▁law ” ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁U . S . ▁history . ▁The ▁opera ▁is ▁the ▁story ▁of ▁parents ▁Del ores ▁( P on ca ) ▁and ▁Justin ▁Label le , ▁and