The emergence of a contemporary American opera in the last fifty years paves the way to the regeneration of the art form. It has received worldwide appreciation. The 21st century has seen the rise of work centering on socially relevant subjects together with accessible scores. Librettos originate in poems, archival material, stories from the globalized world and modern perspectives on historical operatic works. Musical strategies multiple and heighten our experience of text. Words are shrilly sung, spoken, rhythmically chanted, screamed and gasped. I present a sample of photos of new works that visually depict current social issues that are the subject of the operas. The following web pages can provide easy references to venues that provide inexpensive streamed or filmed operas: OPERA AMERICA is a nonprofit composed of a national membership of more than 170 companies, 450 institutions and 2500 individuals dedicated to enhancing the collaborative spirit and collective knowledge of the American opera field. Opera America’s website (specifically the “Explore Opera” and the “Read More Articles” sections) are a treasure trove of opera’s current events and history. The webpage also contains an up to date current calendar of nation-wide live opera performances. Opera America maintains #meetopera Online, which provides an up-to-date listing of dozens of mostly free streamed and filmed U.S. operas. Beth Morrison Projects has been at the forefront of operatic commissioning, developing, producing and touring groundbreaking new works of living composers. The nonprofit regularly streams new operas it has helped developed. Joining its mailing list (found at bottom of web page) will provide access these mostly free offerings.
The Good Swimmer, set entirely on a surf beach, is part requiem, part lifesaving drill. It takes place in the early days of the Vietnam War. The lyrics are from defunct lifesaving manuals. The chorus of young swimmers reflect the spirit of the GIs lost in Vietnam who did not see their 22nd birthday.
Ellen West explores the emotional, psychological and physical challenges of a 32 year old woman and her relationship with food. Ellen weighs a skeltonal 92 pounds and overuses laxatives. The opera juxtaposes the clinical notes of her paternal psychoanalyst and the journal entries of his fictional patient, Ellen West. The text of the opera is a Frank Bidart poem. Ellen’s struggles are inspired by one of the early recorded cases of existential analysis.
p r i s m, a Pulitzer Prize winning opera, was composed by Ellen Reid. It investigates the aftermath of sexual trauma. Reid uses an array of musical styles to delineate the three colliding worlds of the victim – the imagined, the remembered and the actual.
Main Set of Pulitzer Prize winning p r i s m
Post Covid, Reid created Soundwalk, a GPS-enabled work of free public art that uses music to illuminate the natural environment. It is tailor-made for its various venues and created to encourage calm reflection and introspection. The locations of this artwork can be found here.
Ellen Reid listening to Soundwalk in one of its various installations.
