OPERA America announces the next program in the San Francisco Bay Initiative—the Composer/Librettist Workshop to be held June 10, 2006 at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, CA. The Composer/Librettist Workshop is presented in partnership with San Francisco Opera and made possible with generous support from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Registration is as low as $40 for OPERA America members. For information on how to register, contact Anne Choe at 212-796-8620 extension 202 or via email at achoe@operaamerica.org.

The Composer/Librettist Workshop will immerse artists in the business of opera and teach them skills that prepare them for the future. A number of high caliber panelists will address topics that are essential to the career development of creative artists in opera. The discussions will include:

• Finding creative partners & ideal projects
• Self-publishing and the role of the publisher
• Self-producing and marketing your opera
• Getting the first and second production

The Workshop will put composers and librettists in direct contact with the leaders of the opera field and acclaimed artists. These include: David Gockley, General Director, San Francisco Opera, Norman D. Ryan, Head of Contemporary Music, Schott Music & European American Music Dist. LLC, Michael Morgan, Music Director, Oakland East Bay Symphony, librettist Gene Scheer, and composers Paul Dresher, Jake Heggie, Joan La Barbara, and Conrad Susa. Registrants will have the chance to meet panelists during sessions, breaks, and a networking lunch at the opera house.

The San Francisco Bay Initiative is a series of programs designed to build capacity for the creation, presentation, and enjoyment of opera in Northern California. The San Francisco Bay Area’s vibrant opera community, anchored by San Francisco Opera, is home to a number of other opera companies, several educational institutions that train singers, and a strong cadre of creative artists — including composers, librettists, singers, and technical personnel, making it an ideal location for OPERA America’s varied programs. The Bay Area Initiative allows OPERA America to present core programs and develop new events to meet the needs of different constituent groups.

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For press inquiries, contact Press@operaamerica.org or 212.796.8628.