As you know, I've written mostly concert works (choir, orchestra, band), and I want my future artistic output to include more staged works. After writing Computing Venus, the first opera librettist Caitlin Vincent and I wrote, we are now creating another work for the operatic stage— a light opera called Romance, Inc. This is a witty new opera inspired by the true story of the novel that launched the modern romance genre, exploring love, marriage, artistic ambition, and the cultural divide between high and popular art through the high-stakes world of 1970s publishing. We have been engaged by Raison d'Etre Opera in Minneapolis to complete this commission for a 2028 production.
I’m happy to share that I’ve received an Artist Career Development grant from the Central Minnesota Arts Board to jumpstart my writing! I plan to write 15-20 minutes of this opera and workshop it with Ben Krywosz and Nautilus Music-Theater. Seeing live musicians work through our material and getting direct feedback from Krywosz, Gary Briggle (director of Raison d'Etre) and a few other trusted colleagues will help us fine tune our creation and make sure it lands the way we want it to with audiences.
I look forward to sharing my progress with Romance, Inc.!