| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| HTA ID | HTA-0476 |
| Title | Heart of a Soldier — 9/11 Opera World Premiere |
| Date | September 2011 |
| Date Confidence | HIGH — "Heart of a Soldier" premiered at San Francisco Opera on September 10, 2011 (eve of 10th anniversary) |
| Program | KRON 4 News Weekend |
| Station | KRON-TV, Channel 4, San Francisco |
| Duration | ~4:00 (estimated) |
| Format | Feature / Interview |
Henry covers the world premiere of "Heart of a Soldier," an opera about Rick Rescorla — the Morgan Stanley security chief who saved 2,700 lives on 9/11 by leading evacuations from the South Tower, then went back in and died. The piece features an interview with director Francesca Zambello, who explains the opera focuses on Rescorla's love stories and his friendship with fellow soldier Dan Hill, whom he met in Rhodesia.
Henry's framing is notable: "Books and movies and documentaries and television programs about 9-11, and now there is an opera." The piece treats the subject with appropriate gravity while explaining why opera is a fitting medium for this particular story.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| People | Henry Tenenbaum (Reporter), Francesca Zambello (Director), Rick Rescorla (Subject, posthumous), Dan Hill (Subject) |
| Organizations | KRON-TV, San Francisco Opera, Morgan Stanley |
| Locations | War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco |
| Subjects | 9/11, opera, heroism, first responders, love and sacrifice |
| Themes | Heroism and duty, art as memorial, love in the face of death |
| Tone | Serious, respectful, moved |
"Books and movies and documentaries and television programs about 9-11, and now there is an opera."
"He was responsible in his job as a security guard at Morgan Stanley for saving the lives of 3,000 people."
"After saving those people and leading them out, he went back in as a first responder."
Feature piece timed to the 10th anniversary of 9/11. The opera was composed by Christopher Theofanidis with a libretto by Donna Di Novelli. This is one of Henry's more serious pieces — no comedy, no self-deprecation. The subject demands and receives straightforward treatment.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Theme | 9/11 / terrorism — connects to FBI/Homeland Insecurity interview |
| Theme | Opera/classical music — connects to Itzhak Perlman, Symphony pieces |
| Theme | Heroism — connects to military/courage stories |
| Era | KRON San Francisco period (late) |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Transcript source | 1178839_4487203477562_47948_n.txt |
| Video source | Not located |
| Storage location | Transcript: local (/KRON/) |
| Analysis mode | Transcript Only |
| Date analyzed | 2026-07-05 |
| Access notes | Facebook-numbered file. |
"Heart of a Soldier" received mixed reviews but was recognized as an ambitious attempt to address 9/11 through opera. Rick Rescorla (1939–2001) was a British-born Vietnam War veteran who had predicted the 1993 WTC bombing and the 2001 attack. His story was later told in the book "Heart of a Soldier" by James B. Stewart. This piece shows Henry's range — he can cover serious cultural events with the same engagement he brings to comedy pieces.