I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many opera practitioners at Opera Conference and in interviews. If we haven’t met yet, I’m Jeremy Reynolds, the Pittsburgh-based editor of Opera America Magazine. I joined OPERA America in 2022, and I also write for The New York Times, Opera, Symphony, and other publications.

You may notice that this issue of the magazine looks a bit different from usual. While the core of the publication remains devoted to in-depth features exploring issues and trends in the field, the editorial team and I have established new sections to bring in a broader range of news and perspectives. The idea is to serve membership by elevating excellent work happening at member companies of all sizes and to cover the field more holistically, especially as coverage of opera in the U.S. continues to shrink overall.

The articles in this magazine represent a snapshot of current thinking and conversations in the opera field. They are not meant to be the final say on a topic, but rather exploratory starting points for further discussion.

To that end, I invite you to submit a Letter to the Editor for possible publication in a forthcoming issue of the magazine or online.

Within this issue, you will encounter features on the aesthetic and business considerations of shortening opera (blasphemy?!) and on the pros and cons of a pilgrimage to Europe for singers as they build their careers.

Please consider sharing your reactions and thoughts on these topics and those in forthcoming issues with us at Editor@operaamerica.org.

As editor, it’s my duty to remind you that brevity is the soul of wit. I recommend that your letter be no longer than a tight and punchy 250 words. If we would like to publish your letter, we will be in touch.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jeremy Reynolds
Editor, Opera America Magazine