Composer in Residence Program

Opera Philadelphia, in collaboration with Gotham Chamber Opera and Music-Theatre Group in New York, is proud to announce the nation’s first comprehensive, operatic Composer In Residence program. Funded over five years by a $1.4 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Composer In Residence (CIR) program will provide a highly individualized professional development path for two of today’s most promising opera composers, selected on a competitive basis during 2011 and 2012. The goal of the CIR program is to foster tomorrow’s American operatic masterpieces through personalized creative development and intensive, hands-on composition opportunities. 

The CIR program is directed to composers of all professional levels who see opera as a significant new component of their future creative work, from emerging composers to midcareer artists moving into opera for the first time. The chosen candidate will embark on a three year personalized track providing opportunities to cultivate his/her skills in all aspects of opera production, from working one-on-one with librettists and dramaturges, to workshops and scene treatments with world-class performers. The CIR will have exceptional access to observe and work hands-on in every aspect of creative development, production, and performance.

While there is no pre-determined creative output required, composers are encouraged to make best use of resources by focusing their residency around one or more musical works. The resulting works may be considered for performance by the collaborators.

The CIR program is administered by Kyle Bartlett, the New Works Administrator at Opera Philadelphia.