‘Significant’ grant to help Opera continue New Works program

Cincinnati Opera has received what it called a “significant” anonymous donation that will allow it to extend its opera development program, Opera Fusion: New Works, for three additional years.

OF:NW is a joint project with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, dedicated to supporting the creation of new American operas.

Launched in 2011, the initiative provides composers and librettists with the opportunity to workshop operas-in-progress, using the resources of both Cincinnati Opera and CCM. The initiative, originally supported by the Mellon Foundation, has hosted 34 workshops or orchestral readings for 28 operas.

With funding from the Mellon Foundation set to conclude in 2025, the new anonymous donation will allow OF:NW to continue through 2028, supporting workshops for six additional operas. The Cincinnati Opera declined to comment on the specific value of the donation.

Evans Mirageas, Cincinnati Opera’s artistic director, described the program as “transformative” over the past decade-plus. He expects this new round of funding to keep that momentum going.

“This generous gift will allow this unique creative collaboration to continue to thrive, giving composers and librettists valuable resources to shape their stories and ensuring the vibrancy of the art form for decades to come,” he said.

Peter Jutras, a professor of music and Dean at CCM, echoed this sentiment, expressing gratitude for allowing the program to continue.

“Opera Fusion: New Works exemplifies our university’s ‘Next Lives Here’ strategic direction, connecting our students with the artists shaping the future of their industry,” he said.

Supporting America’s new opera works

Several past OF:NW works have gone on to receive multiple productions across the country, including “Fellow Travelers” by Gregory Spears and Greg Pierce, “Eurydice” by Matthew Aucoin and Sarah Ruhl, and “Champion” by Terence Blanchard and Michael Cristofer.

Two of the most recent projects, “Blind Injustice” by Scott Davenport Richards and David Cote, and “Morgiane” by Edmond Dédé, premiered in New York City earlier this month to enthusiastic critical and audience reception.

As part of its donation announcement, Cincinnati Opera outlined details of the next OF:NW workshop: “The Post Office,” with music by Laura Kaminsky and a libretto by Elaine Sexton.

Here’s how the Cincinnati Opera describes the production’s storyline:

“Set in a small-town post office, the opera follows three U.S. postal workers and a customer from diverse backgrounds as they become embroiled in a conflict over same-sex marriage. A once-collegial friendship between the postmaster, a Black heterosexual man, and his colleague, a white gay man, turns tense after the latter announces his upcoming wedding. As societal tensions surrounding civil rights, reproductive rights, and LGBTQIA rights intensify, the workplace dispute escalates, reflecting broader issues of discrimination and division in America.”

A public performance of excerpts from “The Post Office” will take place Saturday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m. at Cincinnati Music Hall.

For more information about Opera Fusion: New Works, visit ofnw.org.