Washington National Opera to Present Three World Premiere One-Act Operas in May
The American Opera Initiative performances will take place at the WNO Rehearsal Studio in Takoma, Washington, D.C.
Washington National Opera will continue its American Opera Initiative presenting three world premiere one-act operas on Friday, May 22 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the WNO Rehearsal Studio in Takoma, Washington, D.C. AOI will continue in future seasons at venues to be announced. Tickets begin at an accessibly priced “pay what you can” minimum donation of $25 and are available now.
At a moment of transition for WNO, AOI stands as a powerful expression of WNO's enduring mission to develop new work and invest in the next generation of artists. Under the leadership of Program Director Christopher Cano with Artistic Advisor Kelley Rourke, the program brings bold, original stories to life through collaborations between composers and librettists, performed by WNO's Cafritz Young Artists. This year's AOI mentors are composer Anthony Davis, who wrote X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X and the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera The Central Park Five; and librettist Thulani Davis, the first woman to win a Grammy for liner notes and two-time Grammy nominee in opera as a librettist.
About the New Operas:
Mickey Dee and the Eclipse: Composer Dave Ragland | Librettist Anita Gonzalez
Strangers at a fast-food restaurant wait for a solar eclipse. The customers, a single mother with her daughter and a UPS driver, have forgotten how to look up. When the eclipse arrives, the spectacle of the universe amplifies possibilities for a quintet of working people seeking more.
The Curse of the Magi: Composer Christopher Dietz | Librettist Faiza Alex Manaa
The Curse of the Magi follows a husband and wife who decide to go to extreme measures to resolve their issues. Unbeknownst to them, they are meeting with the same unconventional Consultant for help. The story takes place at the Consultant's office.
The Mold and I: Composer Dan VanHassel | Librettist Hannah Nikka Odsinada
It's 2021. Kerry nervously prepares to move out of the apartment she called home throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and to move in with Devon, her long-distance boyfriend. But there's one last thing to take care of before she leaves: the sentient mold in her closet, begging her to stay. Now, with Devon's support, a guilt-stricken Kerry attempts to make it up to the Mold by throwing a going away party. But will it be enough?
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