Opera Philadelphia and Houston Grand Opera lead the charge for opera in the COVID-era, with new made-for-screen productions, including David T. Little’s Soldier Songs and Vinkensport, or The Finch Opera.
The debut recording of Elegy (monsters are real) is now available as part of New Amsterdam Records’ July 3, 2020: A Benefit Compilation. Performed by Newspeak’s James Johnston, 100% of proceeds will be donated to The Okra Project and VOCAL-NY.
hold my tongue was composed for the Dutch performer/composer Bec Plexus as part of her debut album STICKLIP, responding to the prompt “something you don’t dare say out loud.” Out now on New Amsterdam Records.
AGENCY, now available on New Amsterdam: “forthright, visceral, bloody, with the intimacy and polish of a classical chamber ensemble but bulging with the loud, reverberant sweatiness of rock.” (NYTimes)
The German premiere of SOLDIER SONGS is now running in Saarbrücken, starring Salomón Zulic Del Canto, directed by Jochen Strauch, and conducted of Justus Thorau.
Excerpts from Book of Dreams: Chapter Sand, a collaboration with GLMMR, from the world premiere at National Sawdust, now live.
New chamber version of Little and Vavrek’s one-act comedy, Vinkensport, or The Finch Opera, has been commissioned by Opera Saratoga. It receives its world premiere on June 30 as part of the company’s 2018 Summer Festival.
The Conjured Life is a new orchestral work commissioned by the Cabrillo Festival as a tribute to the centennial of Lou Harrison.
In new productions in San Diego, Des Moines and Atlanta, Soldier Songs continues to build bridges with military and veteran communities.
Dog Days has garnered mentions on 2 of NPR’s end-of-year round up lists, sharing space next to Bowie and Beyoncé on their Best 50 Albums of 2016 and also landing on the 10 Classical Albums That Saved 2016 list.
VIA Records released Dog Days original cast recording: “a fine document…pristine” says Q2 Music
At its world premieres at Ft Worth Opera, JFK, was called a “ravishing grand opera”, a “triumphant work”, “absorbing,” “soul-shattering.” At the Canadian premiere at Opéra de Montréal it was called “magnificent” and more.
Dog Days at LA Opera, Fort Worth Opera, PROTOTYPE; makes European premiere to rave reviews.