Dallas Opera Announces 'Creating New Opera' Roundtable

The Dallas Opera will present the third in a series of quarterly"General Director's Roundtables," featuring timely and in-depth discussion of issues affecting opera, contemporary audiences, and the greater performing arts community today.  The brainchild of Dallas Opera General Director & CEO Keith Cerny, this series seeks to bring together the most knowledgeable voices in their fields, both local and national, in a genuine quest for answers.

            The topic of this roundtable is "Creating New Opera (And Other Musical Works)," presented in partnership with D magazine and thoughtfully moderated by D magazine Arts Editor Peter Simek at 6:30 PM, Monday, December 5, 2011.

            The public discussion will focus on the creation of new works for the musical stage while preparing the way for the Dallas Opera's inaugural entry in its new chamber opera series: The Lighthouse by Peter Maxwell Davies, underwritten by American Express, now being created in collaboration with the Dallas Theater Center and slated to open in the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center on Friday, March 16, 2012.

            The panelists, in addition to the multifaceted Mr. Cerny who hosts these events, will include the critically acclaimed American librettist/lyricist and songwriter, Gene Scheer, who crafted a brilliant libretto from Herman Melville's sprawling mid-19^th century novel for the Dallas Opera's triumphant 2010 world premiere production of Moby-Dick.   He will be joined by the equally talented baritone Robert Orth (Moby-Dick, Dead Man Walking, Nixon in China, Brief Encounter, Harvey Milk) and the nationally renowned founder and artistic director of Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Ann M. Williams.

"Commissioning new works is one of my priorities as General Director and CEO," explained Keith Cerny in a recent interview with Gregory Sullivan Isaacs for Art + Culture Magazine and theaterjones.com.  "At the same time, we need to carefully regulate the pace of those commissions with the financial reality of the times, and with the clear understanding that world premieres are always going to be one of any opera company's most expensive options.  However, we may have a partial solution to offer.  By "pre-funding" works several years in advance of their scheduled premieres we can significantly reduce the risks associated with mounting new works. 

"While we're on the subject of new works," Mr. Cerny added, "there's another way to innovate cost-effectively, and that is to commission shorter pieces from leading composers-one-acts or monodramas.  The Dallas Opera is currently deep in discussions with another critically acclaimed composer about a world premiere of a more compact, one-act opera in the not-too-distant future."

            This General Director's Roundtable will be held in the intimacy of Nancy B. Hamon Hall, located within the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.  On-site paid parking for the General Director's Roundtable is available beneath the Winspear Opera House in the Lexus Red Parking Garage.

            Please note: Seating is limited, but despite anticipated subscriber demand, this special edition of the roundtable will be free and open to the public.   Reservations are required; just call 214.443.1044 and leave your name and the number in your party.

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