A scene from John

If martyrdom, love and violence are hallmarks of opera, then a new production opening this weekend in Kansas City will go over well – even if it’s set in Kansas.

“John Brown,” a new work premiering at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, tells the story of the famed abolitionist through words and song.

The opera is the latest work by Topeka-based composer Kirk Mechem. It opens in Lawrence around the time of Quantrill’s Raid, and it follows Brown’s son, Oliver, through his love with a woman from a pacifist family. The opera ends with a vigil, one of many that marked the moment of Brown’s hanging in Virginia.

The artistic staff includes Mark Ferrell, chorus master and accompanist, who also is an associate professor at Kansas University.

The show opens Saturday and runs through May 11 at Lyric Theater, 1029 Central St., Kansas City, Mo. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m.; Monday and Wednesdays are at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday is at 2 p.m.

For more information and tickets, visit www.kcopera.org or call (816) 471-7344.