GORHAM – When you speak of opera, you rarely say baseball in the same sentence. That is until Daniel Sonenberg, resident composer at the University of Southern Maine School of Music, wrote an opera about Josh Gibson, a famous catcher in the Negro League in the 1940s.

The premiere performance of several scenes from that opera, “The Summer King” will be presented in concert format, scored for an 18-member instrumental ensemble and chorus, Friday, March 9, in Corthell Concert Hall on the USM campus.

The opera selections, plus portions from the song cycles, “Baseball Songs” and “The Art of Eating” are included in the program with the song, “Grace’s Aria.” Portions from Sonenberg’s “Quintet for String Quartet and Bassoon” and his piece for flute and harp, “Whistlesparks,” complete the program.

A total of 30 musicians will perform, including many faculty members of the School of Music, and special guests artists from New York City, plus selected music students. The conductor is guest artist Steven Osgood.

Sonenberg is one of the newest faculty members in the School of Music, now in his third year at USM. Besides classical music, Sonenberg is interested in popular music. He is a national and international expert in the music of singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. A drummer and guitarist, he performs locally with the group Truth About Daisies.

Gibson is probably the most famous Negro League baseball player never to have played in the white Major Leagues. He was a catcher, known as the Black Babe Ruth, and the second ever Negro League player to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame (after Satchell Paige). He died only months before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

“The opera examines several pivotal moments in Gibson’s life and legend, including the day he became the only player to ever hit a ball complete out of Yankee Stadium (though there is some debate about that),” Sonenberg said is a prepared statement.

The opera won’t be staged at the concert. “It will be presented in concert format, but with a large ensemble (17 players), a small chorus (4 singers) and some wonderful singers who are coming up from New York City to perform the leading roles,” Sonenberg explained.

“The opera scenes will be conducted by Steven Osgood, who is the director of American Opera Projects, and recently was assistant conductor to Tan Dun in the Metropolitan Opera’s world premiere performance of ‘The First Emperor.’ I’m very excited about the performing forces. We will present two scenes and one aria from the opera – about 30 minutes worth,” Sonenberg said.

The all-Sonenberg evening will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the general public, $10 for seniors, and $5 for students. For tickets, call 780-5555.