Center for Contemporary Opera
Encyclopedia
The Center for Contemporary Opera (CCO) is a professional opera company based in New York City
, and a member of OPERA America
. The company focuses on producing and developing new opera and music theater works and reviving rarely seen American operas written after the second World War. The Center for Contemporary Opera has staged the premieres of many works written during the latter half of the twentieth century. Works are performed at all stages of development from readings to workshops to full productions on the professional stage. In line with its mission to promote an interest in new operatic and music-theater culture among the American public, the company presents panel discussions and colloquia, and publishes a bi-annual newsletter Opera Today. Since 2004, the company has been a regular participant in the New York City Opera
's annual festival, "Vox: Showcasing American Composers".
The company was founded in 1982 by Richard Marshall, formerly the head of the Charlotte Opera Association in North Carolina
where he had commissioned, produced and conducted the world premiere of Robert Ward's Abelard and Heloise. In March 2008, James E. Schaeffer, Executive Director of Long Leaf Opera Festival in Chapel Hill
, North Carolina took over from Marshall as CEO. The composer, author and music critic Eric Salzman
is the company's Associate Artistic Director. Its composer-in-residence is Michael Dellaira.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and a member of OPERA America
Opera America
Opera America, officially OPERA America, is a service organization in North America promoting the creation, presentation, and enjoyment of opera...
. The company focuses on producing and developing new opera and music theater works and reviving rarely seen American operas written after the second World War. The Center for Contemporary Opera has staged the premieres of many works written during the latter half of the twentieth century. Works are performed at all stages of development from readings to workshops to full productions on the professional stage. In line with its mission to promote an interest in new operatic and music-theater culture among the American public, the company presents panel discussions and colloquia, and publishes a bi-annual newsletter Opera Today. Since 2004, the company has been a regular participant in the New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
's annual festival, "Vox: Showcasing American Composers".
The company was founded in 1982 by Richard Marshall, formerly the head of the Charlotte Opera Association in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
where he had commissioned, produced and conducted the world premiere of Robert Ward's Abelard and Heloise. In March 2008, James E. Schaeffer, Executive Director of Long Leaf Opera Festival in Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
, North Carolina took over from Marshall as CEO. The composer, author and music critic Eric Salzman
Eric Salzman
Eric Salzman is an American composer, author, impresario, music critic, and record producer.After studying composition with Morris Mawner at the New York High School of Music and Art , he continued his studies at Columbia University , where his teachers included Jack Beeson, Otto Luening and...
is the company's Associate Artistic Director. Its composer-in-residence is Michael Dellaira.
Notable premieres
Notable premieres performed by the Center for Contemporary Opera include:- Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Timothy SullivanTimothy Sullivan (composer)Timothy Richard Sullivan is a Canadian composer, pianist, and music educator. A member of the Canadian League of Composers and an associate of the Canadian Music Centre, he has been commissioned to write works for ARRAYMUSIC, Donald Bell, and the Stratford Festival among others...
(World Premiere 1987) - Christopher Sly by Dominick ArgentoDominick ArgentoDominick Argento is an American composer, best known as a leading composer of lyric opera and choral music...
(New York Premiere 1987) - Insect Comedy - Martin Kalmanoff and Lewis Allen (World Premiere, 1993)
- TransformationsTransformations (opera)Transformations is a chamber opera in two acts by the American composer Conrad Susa with a libretto of ten poems by Anne Sexton from her 1971 book Transformations, a collection of confessional poetry based on stories by the Brothers Grimm...
by Conrad SusaConrad SusaConrad Stephen Susa is an American composer, particularly known for his operas. His 1973 chamber opera, Transformations, set to texts from the poems of Anne Sexton, is one of the most frequently performed operas by an American composer and was one of the featured operas of the 2006 Wexford Opera...
and Anne SextonAnne SextonAnne Sexton was an American poet, known for her highly personal, confessional verse. She won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1967...
(New York Premiere, 1996) - Summer by Stephen PaulusStephen PaulusStephen Paulus is an American composer, best known for his operas and choral music. His best-known piece is his 1982 opera The Postman Always Rings Twice, one of several operas he has written for the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, which prompted The New York Times to call him "a young man on the road...
and Joan Vail Thorne (New York Premiere, 1998) - Sorry, Wrong Number by Jack BeesonJack BeesonJack Beeson was an American composer. He was known particularly for his operas, the best known of which are Lizzie Borden, Hello Out There! and The Sweet Bye and Bye.-Biography:...
and Lucille FletcherLucille FletcherLucille Fletcher was an American screenwriter of film, radio and television. Her full name was Violet Lucille Fletcher...
(World Premiere, 1999) - The Postman Always Rings Twice by Stephen Paulus and Colin GrahamColin GrahamColin Graham, OBE was a British-born stage director of opera, theater, and television.Graham was educated at Northaw School , Stowe School and RADA...
(New York Premiere, 1998) - KAFKA: Letter to My Father by Stanley Walden (U. S. Premiere, 2000)
- Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights by Stanley Walden and Gertrude SteinGertrude SteinGertrude Stein was an American writer, poet and art collector who spent most of her life in France.-Early life:...
(U.S. Premiere 2002) - La Priere du Loup by Eric SalzmanEric SalzmanEric Salzman is an American composer, author, impresario, music critic, and record producer.After studying composition with Morris Mawner at the New York High School of Music and Art , he continued his studies at Columbia University , where his teachers included Jack Beeson, Otto Luening and...
(U. S. Premiere, 2003) - Vera of Las VegasVera of Las VegasVera of Las Vegas is an opera by Daron Hagen based on a libretto by Paul Muldoon. The Center for Contemporary Opera gave the staged premiere on 25 June 2003 at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre of Symphony Space in New York City.-Background and premiere:...
by Daron HagenDaron HagenDaron Aric Hagen , is an American composer, conductor, pianist, educator, librettist, and stage director of contemporary classical music and opera.- Early life and education :...
and Paul MuldoonPaul MuldoonPaul Muldoon is an Irish poet. He has published over thirty collections and won a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and the T. S. Eliot Prize. He held the post of Oxford Professor of Poetry from 1999 - 2004. At Princeton University he is both the Howard G. B. Clark ’21 Professor in the Humanities and...
(World Staged Premiere, 2003) - A More Perfect Union by Victoria Bond and Isaiah Sheffer (World Premiere, 2004)"
- Mario and the Magician by Francis ThorneFrancis ThorneFrancis Thorne is an American composer of contemporary classical music and grandson of the writer Gustav Kobbé.-Life:...
and J.D. McClatchyJ.D. McClatchyJ. D. "Sandy" McClatchy is an American poet and literary critic. He is editor of the Yale Review and president of The American Academy of Arts and Letters.-Life:...
(First professional performance 2005) - Alice by Peter WestergaardPeter WestergaardPeter Talbot Westergaard is an American composer and music theorist. He is Professor Emeritus of music at Princeton University.-Biography:...
(World Premiere of work in progress 2006)
Recording
- Francis Thorne: Mario and the Magician (Center for Contemporary Opera, Richard Marshall, conductor, Justin Vickers, Larry Small, Jessica Grigg, Wendy Brown, Richard Cassell) Albany RecordsAlbany RecordsAlbany Records is an American classical music record label focusing particularly on contemporary classical music. It was established by Peter Kermani in 1987, and is based in Albany, New York.-External links:**...
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External links
- Center for Contemporary Opera Official web site.
- Blog on the last ConOp Carnegie Hall recital