For the last two weeks Charleston has been hosting the annual Spoleto USA performing arts festival. The centerpiece of this year’s festival is the world premiere of an opera called “Omar.” 

"Omar" is Omar ibn Said, a West African scholar who was enslaved, first in Charleston and then in Fayetteville, N.C. Omar was Muslim, he read and wrote Arabic and he wrote his own autobiography. That text is what inspired the opera that is being performed for the very first time here in Charleston. 

Mena Mark Hanna, the general director of Spoleto Festival USA, explains the significance of this debut.

Reporter Adam Parker, who has followed the creation of this opera for years, also shares some behind-the-scenes insight on the production.

Find more stories about Omar ibn Said and the opera "Omar," plus photo stories and videos at postandcourier.com/omar.

More coverage:

• Making ‘Omar,’ Spoleto Festival's opera about an enslaved Muslim scholar in the Carolinas
• A quest for the true identity of Omar ibn Said, a Muslim man enslaved in the Carolinas
• Understand SC: How The Post and Courier searched for Omar ibn Said's true identity
• Photo essay: Visual parallels in the 2 stories of Omar
• Spoleto Review: 'Omar' moves forward a crucial American story, and opera, too

Understand SC is a weekly podcast from The Post and Courier that draws from the reporting resources and knowledge of our newsroom to help you better understand South Carolina. 

This episode was hosted and edited by Emily Williams. 

The music featured in this episode is "In Search of Solitude" by Scott Buckley and"Bleu" by Komiku.