OF ONE BLOOD Excerpts and Discussion with Brett Dean and Heather Betts Will Come to Works & Process

Works & Process will host musical excerpts and discussion with the creators of the Santa Fe Opera’s latest co-commission and co-production, Of One Blood, by Brett Dean and Heather Betts on Monday, October 26, 2026 at 7PM at the Peter B. Lewis Theater, 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10128.

Though buried side by side in Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots—cousins “of one blood”—never met in life. Their intertwined reigns ignited a ruthless clash of faith and power that culminated in Mary’s execution by Elizabeth’s command. Drawing exclusively from the queens’ own letters, poems, and speeches, composer Brett Dean and librettist Heather Betts trace their rivalry in Of One Blood.

Before the opera’s American premiere at Santa Fe Opera in 2027, join the creators for a conversation about the work and hear arias. All are invited to continue the conversation at a reception in the rotunda.

More About Of One Blood

Of One Blood marks the second installment in a series of American premieres at the Santa Fe Opera and is presented as part of an international co-commission and co-production consortium led by the Bavarian State Opera. Of the May 10 world premiere, the Financial Times wrote, “A tale of Elizabethan intrigue makes a thrilling 21st century opera…with a pungent, propulsive score and gutsy singing, this world premiere at the Bayerische Staatsoper deserves to be heard widely.”

Exploring dynastic power, religious division and contested legitimacy through the story of two royal cousins – Mary, Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth I – whose claims to authority are shaped by blood and belief, the work closes the Santa Fe Opera’s 2027 Season with a contemporary examination of political and spiritual authority.