THE CHRISTMAS SPIDER
Composed by Clint Borzoni
World Premiere: Opera Louisiane, 2023
On a bitterly cold Christmas Eve, a poor woodcutter and his two children have no gifts, barely enough to eat, and are in danger of losing their home to an impatient landlady. But the surprise discovery of a gentle arachnid leads to a seemingly miraculous turn of good fortune for the family, reinforcing the importance of love and togetherness. Inspired by a Ukrainian legend (which resulted in the placing of spider ornaments on Christmas trees for a lucky New Year), The Christmas Spider adds to the rich musical tapestry of the holiday canon, complete with an original yuletide carol and a joyful tale for all ages.
Originally developed by The American Opera Project
THE COPPER QUEEN
Composed by Clint Borzoni
World Premiere: The Copper Queen was selected as the winner of Arizona Opera’s inaugural commission initiative, Arizona SPARK, and premiered in 2021 as a feature film produced by Arizona Opera and directed by Crystal Manich.
The stage premiere took place in 2022 at Marble City Opera under the direction of the librettist.
The Copper Queen focuses on the cultural lore of Julia Lowell, who lived at The Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee, Arizona during the first decade of the twentieth century. Julia’s ghost is alleged to haunt the hotel a century after her mysterious suicide, causing numerous disruptive occurrences. When a woman named Addison Moore stays in Julia’s room, she experiences terrifying visions that reveal the terrible truth of Julia’s life in the hotel. This leads to her own revelations as to the true secret that brought her there to engage with Julia’s restless spirit.
SERVICE PROVIDER
Composed by Christopher Weiss
World Premiere: Washington National Opera, 2015
Service Provider is an original one-act chamber work commissioned by the Washington National Opera for the 2015 American Opera Initiative. The Washington Post hailed the piece as “the crowd pleaser” at its Kennedy Center premiere. Urban Arias premiered Service Provider at the Signature Theatre after it was selected by Fort Worth Opera’s 2017 Frontiers showcase. It has subsequently been seen at Minnesota Opera, Opera Memphis, Virginia Opera, Hawaii Opera Theater, Opera Idaho, Lake George Music Festival, Amelia Island Opera, Westminster Opera Theatre, and Texas Christian University.
Service Provider details the erosion of modern romance by our obsession with mobile technology. When a loving couple goes out for their anniversary dinner at an elegant restaurant, the evening descends into farcical disaster as the incessant cell phone usage ultimately unmasks the fractured reality of their marriage. The twenty minute opera is scored for soprano, mezzo, tenor and baritone, accompanied by twelve instruments. (clink here for more accolades of Service Provider)
EDEN
Composed by Nicolas Reveles
World Premiere: San Diego Opera, 2023
Clay lives as a bachelor in an old family home where he has amassed an enormous collection of paintings, with space for only one remaining. His friend and art-dealer, Granada, gifts him a strange canvas that depicts a twisted, leafless tree that seems to reach for the viewer. Clay is so overjoyed by his completed hoard of art that he stops leaving the house, neglecting his work and health. His impatient cousin, Sondra, arrives to demand answers, and before storming out, informs Clay that Granada has disappeared. All the other paintings slowly begin to change and rot. A doctor arrives to diagnose Clay, but he becomes violently ill when he touches the cursed painting. Alone again, Clay’s world withers into a diseased hellscape, all while the leafless tree continues to reach for him.
WHEN ADONIS CALLS
Composed by Clint Borzoni, from the poems of Gavin Geoffrey Dillard
World Premiere: Asheville Lyric Opera, 2018
When Adonis Calls premiere highlight reel
When Adonis Calls is the story of an accomplished author struggling with writer’s block who is contacted by an eager young fan interested in both an artistic and personal correspondence. What follows is a sensual game of literary discovery that leads the two into realms of unbridled eroticism, hidden demons, and secret longings. Their writings culminate in a meeting in the flesh that transcends beyond what either of them imagined when they first put pen to paper.
When Adonis Calls blends a ninety minute score of romantic lyricism with dance and a fresh perspective of operatic storytelling. The piece utilizes an ensemble of two baritones, string quartet, percussionist, and two dancers.
THE ROOST
Composed by Marc Migó
World Premiere: UrbanArias for the Decameron Opera Coalition, 2020
Expecting your first baby should be a joyous time. Expecting your first baby while quarantined during a pandemic in your over-bearing mother’s house with a non-working air-conditioner is another story altogether. With hormones at their peak, Kat and her boyfriend, Ricky, face these challenges in this new comedy inspired by one The Decameron’s sexiest tales.
MARThA
Composed by Lingbo Ma
World Premiere: The Julliard School, 2021
Written for Opera Lab at The Juilliard School, MARThA is the story of best friends, Tricia and Holly. They have known each other nearly their entire lives, but have recently been fighting incessantly. To remedy this, they download a new mobile called MARThA (Mediation and Resolution Therapy Application), which guarantees to resolve any conflict. But as their session with the all-knowing app goes on, it becomes clear that MARThA has a darker endgame in her sights than anyone who downloads her realizes.
ANGELIQUE
Composed by Jacques Ibert
Libretto by Nino
New dialogues by John de los Santos
World Premiere: Manhattan School of Music, 2022
Ibert and Nino’s irreverent farce is given new dialogues in English, maintaining its madcap hilarity with fresh jokes and more relatable characters.
MISERY
Composed by Kamala Sankaram
Based on the novel by Stephen King
Paul Sheldon is a bestselling romance novelist who has just finished his newest book. During a blizzard he wrecks his car, and is rescued by Annie Wilkes, his self-proclaimed “Number One Fan”. What follows is a harrowing ordeal of addiction, pain, and brutality as the two remain locked in a sadistic game of survival.
Commissioned by Minnesota Opera’s New Works Initiative
REQUIEM TOMATINA: A PULP FANTASIA
Composed by Tony Solitro
A sensual new comedy inspired by the origin of La Tomatina festival in Buñol, Spain.
Commissioned by White Snake Projects