“From my own experience as a director, I firmly believe that hands-on learning is the best way to be successful in the opera field,” said Artistic Director Francesca Zambello in an official press release. “This is why I created this program. Together with the program Director Christopher Cano and Artistic Advisor Kelley Rourke, we strive to foster an environment in which composers and librettists who have an interest in writing opera but do not have much experience can gain that knowledge by doing it, from collaborating on libretto and score to workshopping, rehearsing, and presenting the world premiere—all under the guidance of experienced mentors. The results are their own testament to the value of this program: many of the operas we have premiered as part of AOI have been taken up by other companies, and more than half of the teams who gained experience through AOI have continued working together. I am very excited about the three brand-new works we are presenting this season. They demonstrate that opera is an ever-evolving art form.”

“Tati” is described as the story of Maysoon, Connie, and Osvaldo, who find themselves stranded inside Tati, a massive, dying, bio-engineered whale created by Connie’s now-defunct environmental initiative. When Osvaldo spots a boat through Tati’s blowhole, they face a critical choice: stay within the safety and limitations of the whale explore the outside world, where hope and peril collide. Headling the work are Viviana Goodwin, Sergio Martinez, and Anneliese Klenetsky.

As for “Wolf,” that opera takes place on a Friday night at UCLA, when Austin and Zach, who stay indoors, scrolling online, and obsessively comparing their jawlines to strangers’ photos as they chase the elusive goal of becoming “wolves.” The work explores their disintegration. It features Jonathan Patton, Nicholas Huff, and Sahel Salam.

Finally, “Mud Girl” takes place in a near-future flooded world where Maude, a former scientist, tries to protect River from the “poisons of the past:” plastics. Then River creates her own companion out of mud, junk, and scraps of plastic, forcing Maude to come to terms with their new circumstances. The work stars Winona Martin, Kresley Figueroa, Tiffany Choe, and Michelle Mariposa.

Prior to the New York performance, the pieces will world premiere in Washington on Jan. 18, 2025.