About 50 people from the cast and the company visited the farm in Richwood, Kenucky, which is 20 miles south of Cincinnati. The group included Danielpour; Gregg Baker, who plays Garner's husband Robert; soprano Angela Brown, who plays Cilla, Garner's mother-in-law; and baritone Rodney Gilfrey, who plays her owner, called Edward Gaines in opera. (According to the Post, Margaret Garner's real owner was named Archibald, but the name was changed to make it more singable.)

Mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, who sings the title role, has not yet arrived in Cincinnati.

The cast toured the remains of the farm's original kitchen and the local church that Garner attended.

"It was inspiring to see the artists' reaction to being at the Maplewood historical site," Cincinnati Opera general director Patty Beggs told the paper. "Because Margaret Garner's story happened in Cincinnati, we have a unique opportunity—and a responsibility—to build a bridge between the historical facts of the case and the artistic representation of her life in the opera."