Contemporary opera is booming with a bounty of world premieres taking place each season. The upcoming 40th anniversary in 2020 of the premiere of Kirke Mechem’s beloved opera on Moliere’s Tartuffe inspired us to look back at some operas which have played a key role in establishing the contemporary opera canon, especially as seen and heard in North America.
Kirke Mechem: Tartuffe
40th anniversary in 2020
Premiered May 27, 1980, at San Francisco Opera
The following list highlights additional works soon to celebrate landmark anniversaries, and which remain as impactful now since they first appeared onstage.
Dmitri Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District
90th anniversary in 2024
Premiered January 22, 1934 at Leningrad Maly Operny, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Sergei Prokofiev: Betrothal in a Monastery (The Duenna)
75th anniversary in 2021
Premiered November 3, 1946 at Kirov Theatre, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Gian Carlo Menotti: The Consul
70th anniversary in 2020
Premiered March 1, 1950 at Shubert Theatre, Philadelphia, PA
Samuel Barber: Vanessa
65th anniversary in 2023
Premiered January 15, 1958 at The Metropolitan Opera
Peter Maxwell Davies: The Lighthouse
40th anniversary in 2020
Premiered September 2, 1980 at Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland
Olivier Messiaen: Saint François d'Assise
40th anniversary in 2023
Premiered November 28, 1983 with Paris Opera at Palais Garnier, France
Robert Xavier Rodríguez: Frida
30th anniversary in 2021
Premiered April 07, 1991 at American Music Theater (now Prince Theater), Philadelphia, PA
John Corigliano: The Ghosts of Versailles
30th anniversary in 2021
Premiered December 19, 1991 at The Metropolitan Opera
Aulis Sallinen: Kullervo
30th anniversary in 2022
Premiered February 25, 1992 at Performing Arts Center Of Los Angeles County, CA
Bright Sheng: The Song of Majnun
30th anniversary in 2022
Premiered April 09, 1992 at Lyric Opera of Chicago
Thea Musgrave: Simón Bolívar
25th anniversary in 2020
Premiered January 20, 1995 at Harrison Opera House, Norfolk, VA
Daniel Catán: Florencia en el Amazonas
25th anniversary in 2021
Premiered October 26, 1996 at Wortham Theater Center, Houston Grand Opera
Anthony Davis: Amistad
25th anniversary in 2022
Premiered November 29, 1997 at Lyric Opera of Chicago
Mark Adamo: Little Women
25th anniversary in 2023
Premiered March 13, 1998 at Houston Grand Opera
André Previn: A Streetcar Named Desire
25th anniversary in 2023
Premiered September 19, 1998 at San Francisco Opera
John Harbison: The Great Gatsby
25th anniversary in 2024
Premiered December 20, 1999 at The Metropolitan Opera
Poul Ruders: The Handmaid’s Tale
20th anniversary in 2020
Premiered March 6, 2000 at Danish Royal Opera, Copenhagen, Denmark
Kaija Saariaho: L’Amour de loin
20th anniversary in 2020
Premiered August 15, 2000 at Salzburg Festival, Felsenreitschule, Salzburg, Austria
Tan Dun: Tea: A Mirror of Soul
20th anniversary in 2022
Premiered October 22, 2002 at Suntory Hall with NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo, Japan
For more information please contact Peggy Monastra or Marcos Cuevas and visit WorldOperaDay.com.
