The opera industry continues to identify and support the creators of new works, while also working to address challenges and opportunities associated with producing in the 21st century. The New Works Forum is a series of sessions that offers insight, practical knowledge and networking opportunities for creators and producers of new opera and music-theater works. The New Works Forum is made possible by a generous and deeply appreciated grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Advance registration required. No additional fee.
2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.Dramaturgs —A Necessity, Not a Luxury
Companies producing new work increasingly are seeing the importance of bringing a dramaturg into the development of a piece — but the pool is still very small. How do we approach the task of identifying and engaging more dramaturgs in opera?
- Cori Ellison, Dramaturg American Lyric Theater
- Paul Hopper, Assistant Artistic Director/Dramaturg, Houston Grand Opera
- Pete McCabe, Dramaturg, HERE
- Imani Mosley, musicologist/dramaturg
3:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. NextGen Family Opera In the last decade, “operas for all ages” have expanded from simply engaging the next generation of young audiences to becoming increasingly focused on messages or goals that have changed the way they are commissioned, produced and presented. This session will look at several companies creating new family operas, exploring both their reasons and their abilities to incorporate them into their larger seasons.
- Andrea Walters, Director of Education, Santa Fe Opera
- Ruth Nott, Director of Education, San Francisco Opera
- Jamie Andrews, Community Education Director, Minnesota Opera
- Cayenne Harris, Director, Lyric Unlimited, Lyric Opera of Chicago
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Opera NOW! Does opera always have to be
behind the times? How can composers write pieces meant to be timeless, while also timely? With commissioning and production cycles that can take years, how can new operas be more responsive to contemporary events?
- Yuval Sharon, Artistic Director, The Industry (moderator)
- Kim Whitener, Producing Director, HERE
- Rick Burkhardt, composer
- Kamala Sankaram, composer