OPERA America has selected 15 participants for its 2020 Leadership Intensive Program. These leaders, which hail from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Latin America, were selected from a pool of 44 candidates. The participants selected by OPERA America include are Derrell Acon, director of engagement and equity, Long Beach Opera; Joe Barnes, company manager, the Metropolitan Opera; Robert Boldin, artistic {…}
Opera America has announced the recipients for the grants given to female composers. The recipients include Du Yun, for her opera “Sweet Land;” this work is set to be presented by The Industry in Los Angeles, California. The work was written by Douglas Kearny and Aja Couchois and will also be co-composed by Raven Chacon. Next up is Caroline Shaw {…}
Opera America has announced the major themes of its Opera Conference 2019. The major annual event will take place between June 12-16 in San Francisco and will feature more than 700 opera administrators, trustees, and artists who will discuss three overlying themes: Examining Traditions, Exploring Business Innovation and Deepening Civic Practice. “Examining Traditions” will be led by Philip Kennicott of {…}
OPERA America has announced the 16 participants hailing from the U.S., Canada, and Latin America who will partake in its 2019 Leadership Intensive program. The program’s 6th generation of participants were chosen “through a competitive selection process focusing on candidates’ potential to make significant contributions to the opera field.” Participants for this year include Daniel Benavent, General Manager of Theatre Aspen; Vincent Covatto, {…}
OPERA America has announced the launch of IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) Opera Grants. The Grants have been made possible by Charles and Cerise Jacobs Charitable Foundation and are intended to fund initiatives racial inequality in the opera world. Two grants will be awarded annually to composer-librettist teams with each partnership receiving $12,500 to advance their work through workshops, {…}
Ryan Speedo Green will be the chair of OPERA America’s National Opera Week. In a post via social media, the organization announced that the bass-baritone would be the Honorary Chair of the week which celebrates opera through various panels and events. In response to the honor, Speedo Green said, “I’m honored to be the honorary chair of OPERA America’s National Opera {…}
Race and ethnicity continue to vex the opera world in the same manner as they do the rest of society. If events at last week’s Opera America Conference are indicative of the industry, it’s a topic that requires further discussion at future conferences with no easy answers in sight. There were no fewer than five panels related to race and {…}
The opera world has been rocked by the sexual abuse scandal at the Metropolitan Opera centering around maestro James Levine. The topic was confronted head on at Opera Conference 2018 hosted by OPERA America in a panel titled “Confronting Sexual Harassment, Abuse and Assault” that tackled these issues that have unfortunately become much too pertinent in the opera world. The {…}
Over the next few days, Santosh Venkataraman will be attending the Opera America Conference from St. Louis, providing us with in-depth coverage of some of the major events. Stay tuned! Patricia Racette recalled an email she got after the announcement was made that she would be making her directorial debut at Opera Theatre of St. Louis this summer with La {…}
On June 1, Operamission will hold a “Handel Warehouse.” The event, which will be open to the public, will be held at OPERA America’s National Opera Center. “Handel Warehouse” will offer a host of workshops, open rehearsals, refreshments, and festivities with conductor/harpsichordist Jennifer Peterson and stage director Jeff Caldwell lead the proceedings, to be held in the Charles MacKay Studio. Workshops {…}
Opera America has announced the latest recipients of the Discovery Grants from the Opera Grants for Female Composers program. The grants are made possible by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation and are given to promote the development of works by women. This year’s recipients include Lisa DeSpain for “That Hell-Bound Train,” Alexa Dexa for “Be a Doll,” Germaine Franco for “¡La Capitana!,” Elizabeth Kelly for “Losing Her Voice,” Leanna Kirchoff for “Friday After Friday,” {…}
