Light Shall Lift Us involves over 100 singers uniting in a video performance to celebrate the solidarity and strength of artists during the Covid pandemic. Released by OPERA America in May, 2020, this is a video version of Mark Campbell’s and my choral anthem composed originally for an Opera Orlando benefit on behalf of the survivors and families of the Pulse nightclub shooting in  2016.

When the pandemic hit in March, 2020, Mark and I approached Marc Scorca, the President/CEO of OPERA America, who agreed to support the effort, as part of his organization’s 50th Anniversary. Mark assembled the team of stage director Cara Consilvio to serve as video editor and Minnesota Opera’s choral director Andrew Whitfield to serve as music director, while I enlisted Peter Lurye to create the orchestral simulation. Within about a week, Mark had engaged most of the 107 singers to perform the work!

We are profoundly grateful to the amazing artists who came together for this performance. Through the redemptive beauty of music, we hoped to bring some light into the world in that arduous time. We intended to remind folks that in this pandemic, everything changed and yet nothing changed. These eminent artists are still just as crucial as they were when this ordeal began, and they will be even more essential as we emerge together. 

Light Shall Lift Us

Music: Paul Moravec

Words: Mark Campbell

Light shall lift us, everyone, 

As sure as there’s a sun, 

Light shall lift us. 

Those of us with ailing hearts, 

Those of us with broken souls, 

Those of us without sight, 

Shall all take flight. 

Light shall lift us, everyone, 

As sure as there’s a sun, light shall lift us, we shall soar, 

In darkness nevermore, light shall lift us.

Those of us with ailing hearts, 

Those of us with broken souls, 

Those of us without sight, 

Shall all take flight. 

Light shall lift us, everyone, 

As sure as there’s a sun, 

Light shall lift us. 

Light shall lift us to a place

Of everlasting grace

Light shall lift us. 

Light shall lift us, everyone, 

As sure as there’s a sun, 

Light shall lift us, everyone.

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