I have some exciting news to share with all you lovers of opera. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has generously offered to match donations to American Lyric Theater up to $50,000! ALT is dedicated to the development of the creators of opera, and of new opera. This forward-thinking company has fostered the growth of operatic composers and librettists, with a nurturing faculty from the opera hall of fame, and has personally helped me in commissioning and helping me to realizing my latest, most-ambitious opera with David Simpatico, THE LIFE AND DEATH(S) OF ALAN TURING. I’m hoping to raise $1000 for this amazing company that is shaping the future of opera. ABOUT ALT: American Lyric Theater (ALT) is exclusively dedicated to empowering the composers and librettists that are writing the operatic masterpieces of tomorrow. For more than 10 years, ALT has been devoted to cultivating emerging opera composers and librettists in the United States. The award-winning faculty commits up to five years mentoring each Artist in Residence. Since inception, ALT alums have debuted numerous critically-acclaimed operas nationwide and received commissions from companies like the Metropolitan Opera and the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
I fell in love with opera and its place in the world of art and music in 2005 when I wrote and produced my first opera. Since then, I've been finding others who care about and believe in this stunning art form - people who care about live drama, story-telling, theater, and music as they exist in this powerful genre. In 2010, I met Lawrence Edelson and worked with ALT for the first time in their Composer-Librettist Development Program. I was amazed by our mentors and was very impressed with the richness and depth of knowledge they had to share with us. Since that program, ALT has commissioned me and my fellow classmate librettist David Simpatico for our opera THE LIFE AND DEATH(S) OF ALAN TURING, my largest, most ambitious opera to date - with seven principals, a large chorus, and six comprimarios. ALT and its family of administrators, teachers, and fellow creators have mentored me and given me a kind of encouragement and support that I had never before dreamed possible.
All of the operas we love were once world premieres. This cycle must continue. Help ALT continue their transformative work of supporting emerging composers and librettists by giving them the tools to ensure that today’s premieres can become tomorrow’s classics.
If you contribute today, your impact will immediately be doubled by the Mellon Foundation! Please help this invaluable organization.
