Kimberly Reed News

Conceived and funded by acclaimed librettist and lyricist Mark Campbell, the Prize is the first award in the history of American opera created specifically to honor the work of opera librettists, and comes with a $7,000 award to support the winner's creative and career development.

OPERA America is pleased to announce the selection of Stephanie Fleischmann as the 2022 Campbell Opera Librettist Prize recipient. Conceived and funded by acclaimed librettist and lyricist Mark Campbell, the Prize is the first award in the history of American opera created specifically to honor the work of opera librettists, and comes with a $7,000 award to support the winner’s creative and career development.

As General Director Timothy 2 O’Leary and Artistic Director Francesca Zambello announced today, the company’s 2022– 2023 season balances groundbreaking new work with audience favorites.

Opera star Michael Kelly willed this piece into existence and, now, it comes into the light. Read the story of how it happened in this new interview with BroadwayWorld Cabaret.

The American Opera Project (AOP) will honor International Transgender Day of Visibility with 'AS ONE: THE WORK CONTINUES…” at The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City. The one-hour live and livestreamed event, taking place on March 31, 2022 at 7 pm ET, will be moderated by baritone, model, and creative director Rahzé Cheatham who recently performed in the landmark 49th production of As One, featuring an all transgender cast.

OPERA America has announced the recipients of the 2022 Repertoire Development Grants: American Lyric Theater (New York, NY); Beth Morrison Projects (New York, NY); Houston Grand Opera (Houston, TX); Lyric Opera of Chicago (Chicago, IL); MassOpera (Salem, MA); Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (St. Louis, MO); Pensacola Opera (Pensacola, FL) and OperaDelaware (Wilmington, DE); and Virginia Opera (Norfolk, VA). A total of $225,000 was awarded to eight projects (see below) by these nine companies.

Reflecting its deep commitment and connection to the veteran community, The Atlanta Opera will honor veterans in November with the release of two works centered on Tom Cipullo's Glory Denied, a distinctly American saga about the nation's longest-held prisoner of war, who returns from the jungles of Southeast Asia to a suburban home he barely recognizes.

This intimate opera is born of the complex intersection of race, religion, ethnicity and culture that was exposed following the 2008 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency raid of America's largest kosher meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa.

This year, 6 composers and 3 librettists have been selected to receive fellowships, including composers Gabrielle Herbst, J.E. Hernández, Raquel Acevedo Klein, Paul Pinto, Tidtaya Sinutoke and Ania Vu, and librettists Jeesun Choi, Isabella Dawis, and Troy Defour.

The Atlanta Opera returns to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre this season for its four mainstage productions: Handel's Julius Caesar in Egypt, Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, Rossini's Barber of Seville, and Mason Bates's The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs.

The season opens with another world premiere: Micah Roberts' 'Hypernovae,' a fantastic overture inspired by the cosmos, which also marks the conclusion of the LCO's first ever call-for-scores. Roberts' score was selected from over 120 compositions, which came from 9 different countries. Other featured living composers include Anna Clyne, Arnold Friedman, Mark Berger, Karl Henning, and Lowell's own Aaron Rosenberg.

Opera Maine will celebrate a return to live opera with two performances July 28 and 30 at Merrill Auditorium. Under the direction of Artistic Director Dona D. Vaughn, the company will stage an original production of Gaetano Donizetti's endearing comic opera, L'elisir d'amore (The Elixir of Love.)

Opera Orlando is se to close its 2020-21 season 'On the Town' at Harriett's Orlando Ballet Centre with the intimate and powerful one-act opera As One. Composed by Laura Kaminsky with a libretto by Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed, As One is a timely coming-of-age story about a transgender woman.

Opera Orlando will partner with 26 Health to present As One, a transgender coming-of-age story about identity, authenticity, and compassion: a story representative of the LGBTQ+ community for all audiences.

Opera Orlando closes its 2020-21 season “On the Town” at Harriett's Orlando Ballet Centre with the intimate and powerful one-act opera As One.

OPERA America has awarded the seventh cycle of the Robert L.B. Tobin  Director-Designer Prize to four teams of creative artists for their skill in bringing operatic works to life for  contemporary audiences.

The American Opera Project announces the return of its Composers & the Voice program for its 2021-2023 seasons. Created and led by Composers & the Voice Artistic Director Steven Osgood, six composers and up to three librettists will be selected for two-year fellowships to explore the fundamentals of writing for the voice and lyric theater.

Today American Lyric Theater has announced the Opera Writers Diversity and Representation Initiative as part of an ongoing commitment to mentoring the next generation of operatic writers. First steps include the appointment of conductor Kelly Kuo as ALT’s new Associate Artistic Director and the creation of a free, virtual Opera Writers Symposium.

​​​​​​​The American Opera Project announces the creation of the AOP Artistic Advisory Council, composed of artists and innovators from the world of opera and beyond who contribute their time and wise counsel to advance the mission of The American Opera Project. Council members offer their unique ideas and personal insight to the AOP Staff and Board of Directors, mentor creative teams in the development stage, and serve on panels selecting AOP works and artists. 

The Opera has had to postpone the piano workshop of its first commissioned opera, The Secret River, and will now launch the Opera on the Town series with the world premiere of Death of Ivan Ilych in partnership with Thompson Street Opera Company.