Talented creative teams. Powerful stories. All-original opera. WNO’s acclaimed commissioning program for contemporary American opera enters another exciting season—showing how short opera can move and inspire us! Talented composer-librettist teams will showcase three world premiere one-act operas with the Cafritz Young Artists among the casts.

This year’s talented teams include composer Kyle Brenn and librettist Lex Brown presenting Tati, composer JL Marlor and librettist Clare Fuyuko Bierman presenting Cry, Wolf; and composer Omar Najmi and librettist Christine Evans presenting Mud Girl.

American Opera Initiative (AOI) mentorship is led by Director Christopher Cano, Artistic Advisor Kelley Rourke, conductor George Manahan, librettist mentor Tracy K. Smith, and composer mentor Gregory Spears.