Opera America has announced the winners of its Next Stage Grants program, in support of second performances, or subsequent productions of North American works.

The grants were funded entirely by Gene Kaufman, Terry Eder-Kaufman, and New Vision for NYC Opera.

Recipients will receive a total of $ 250,000 dollars, allowing producers the opportunity to adjust, edit, and refine works for new audiences. Companies will receive $25,000 to present an existing production, up to $50,000 for a new production, and $75,000 for a new production as part of a consortium.

The eight recipients are Anchorage Opera for “Missing,” El Paso Opera for “Frida,” IN Series for “I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky,” Knoxville Opera for “Harriet Tubman: When I Crossed That Line to Freedom,” Michigan Opera House for “X, The Life and TImes of Malcolm X,” Odyssey Opera for “The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe,” Parallèle Opera for “Harvey Milk,” and Saratoga Opera for “Sky on Swings.”

Recipients were selected from a pool of 35  applications, by the jury consisting of Playwright Cori Ellison, Artistic Director Kelly Kuo, Composer David T. Little, Stage  Director Alison Moritz, and Composer and Playwright Luna Pearl Woolf.

The American Opera supports the creation, production, and revision of works that have great merit but have underperformed since their premieres.The event will take place on December 16, 2020.