The world premiere of A Marvelous Order will present October 20 at Penn State University’s Center for the Performing Arts. The new opera is an "interdisciplinary collaboration" with music by Judd Greenstein, a libretto by poet Tracy K. Smith, and animation and direction by Joshua Frankel.

The work explores the real-life conflict between urban planner Robert Moses and journalist-activist Jane Jacobs, two powerhouses clashing over the future of New York City's Greenwich Village. The story is described as "a timely reminder that urban planning remains an urgent matter of life and death."

The cast features Melisa Bonetti, Kelvin Chan, Tomás Cruz, Rinde Eckert, Blythe Gaissert, Christopher Herbert, Tesia Kwarteng, Kamala Sankaram, and Megan Schubert.

A Marvelous Order will be performed by NOW Ensemble with music direction by David Bloom, movement direction and choreography by Patrick McCollum, technology design by Fubbi Karlsson and Seth Kirby, production design by Andrea Lauer, lighting design by Robert Bloom, sound design by Greg Allen, and video playback engineering by Cameron Vokey. General management is by Courtney Ozakiand production management is by Philip Naudé.

The show is produced by Andrew D. Hamingson from ADH Theatricals, in association with New Amsterdam Presents.