RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - The Library of Virginia and Virginia Opera will present a free panel discussion and live musical performance exploring the true Civil War-era espionage stories that inspired the opera “Intelligence.”

“Decoding 'Intelligence': The Real-Life Spy Network Behind the Opera” will be held in the Lecture Hall at the Library of Virginia on Wednesday, Feb. 4, from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Registration is required at https://lva-virginia.libcal.com/event/16275895.

Historians Trenton Hizer, the Library’s senior manuscripts acquisition and digital archivist; Nathan Hall, park ranger for the National Park Service; and author Libby Carty McNamee will share insights into the spy networks, acts of resistance and courageous individuals—such as Elizabeth Van Lew and Mary Jane Bowser—whose real lives shaped this groundbreaking work. The discussion, moderated by Adam Turner, artistic director and chief conductor of Virginia Opera, will be followed by a live musical performance by Virginia Opera.

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The Library of Virginia is the leading source of information on Virginia’s history, government and people. The Library’s collections, containing more than 134 million items, document and illustrate the lives of both famous Virginians and ordinary citizens. Our online resources draw nearly 2 million website visits per year, and our on-site records, exhibitions and events bring in thousands of visitors annually. The Library is located in downtown Richmond near Capitol Square at 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Learn more at www.lva.virginia.gov.