Even the late comedienne Anna Russell, who famously quipped, "You can do anything in opera as long as you sing it," might have been surprised to hear about a work that deals with postpartum depression.

More surprisingly, the opera in question, which will be premiered here next week, isn't drawn from contemporary events; there is no character based on Tom Cruise. Rather, The Yellow Wallpaper, with music by Catherine Reid and a libretto by Judith Lane, was inspired by Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 1892 short story of that name. The author, now viewed as an early feminist, based the plot on her own difficult experience with postpartum depression, which was then diagnosed as a nervous disorder curable only by a long period of bed rest, over-feeding and withdrawal from the world of family and friends. The character in the opera ends up going mad from this treatment, while confined to a room with peeling wallpaper.

The Yellow Wallpaper will have its premiere by Peabody Chamber Opera Feb. 14-17 at the Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St. The composer, librettist and stage director Garnett Bruce will hold a Q&A session with the audience after the performances on Feb. 14 and 15. And there will be a pre-performance forum on women's issues on the evenings of Feb. 14-16. For tickets: 410-752-8558 or www.theatreproject.org.

(Photo of Gilman courtesy of Library of Congress/Corbis)