Opera was an American art form all summer long. From Saint Louis in June to San Francisco in September (for the wonderful opening of the company’s 100th season), I attended performances of works that were remarkable for their variety, for their connections to the world we live in, and for the virtuosic work of singers, directors, conductors, designers, and all their creative colleagues. Of the nearly 15 productions I enjoyed, only one was a 19th-century European work. OPERA America leaders who first advocated for a steady and collaborative investment in new works in the 1970s and 1980s must be very pleased.