2025 Summer Libretto Lab

Have you ever wanted to write the text for an opera, or a series of songs to be set by a composer? Are you a composer interested in writing your own libretti and lyrics? Do you have a great idea for a musical but aren’t sure how to get started with it? Do you want to write song texts to sing yourself? In Guerilla Opera’s 2025 Summer Libretto Lab, we’ll explore script and song writing through the lens of opera, giving you the opportunity to develop new writing tools and approaches, gain experience in writing for the voice, learn how to create characters, and explore a variety of storytelling forms. This year, we are offering two (2) 4-week sessions. Writers (ages 18+) of all levels of experience are welcome; however, Session 1 (June 3-26) will focus on the fundamentals of writing text to be sung, and Session 2 (July 1-31) will focus on more advanced topics, including creating and developing a complete scene or multiple scenes. 

Using writing exercises, group discussion, and author-centered workshopping techniques in an inclusive and encouraging environment, participants will develop an outline for a short opera, write the text for an aria and a duet or ensemble section, and create a path for moving forward with their project after each 4-week Session ends, including potentially continuing with Guerilla Opera’s 9-month Writers Collective course. We’ll discuss inspiration and adaptation, language, forces, and presentation in opera, as well as learn about working collaboratively with composers and performers. We’ll have guest speakers from the opera industry, Open Mic events to share your work, and opportunities to meet 1:1 with one of our resident librettists for personalized suggestions and feedback. Throughout, we’ll be informed by Guerilla Opera’s mission of using opera to challenge the status quo, address social issues, empower performers from marginalized groups, and bring the stories of marginalized historical or fictional figures to light. 

In Session 1, you’ll learn the necessary vocabulary for writing text to be sung; get a thorough grounding in how the creation, development, and production process work in opera, musicals, and song; experiment with different narrative modes; explore resources for researching topics you want to write about; practice writing and editing your own work; and engage in group feedback using Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process. We’ll also talk about the industry and the issues it faces, and what it means to be an activist artist. Session 1 participants should expect to spend 3-5 hours a week on reading and writing assignments. 

Session 2’s focus will be on developing a scene or multiple scenes. You’ll learn techniques for outlining and scaffolding a narrative and methods of assessing the success of your goals in arias, songs, and other segments of your scene and the scene overall. You’ll learn how to build and resolve narrative tension; create and develop characters and contexts and express emotions; and take vocalists and vocality into consideration as you write. You’ll learn approaches to editing and revising your work; working with composers and performers; and identifying and developing your personal aesthetic as an activist artist writing for the voice. We’ll study a number of recent libretti; engage in critique using Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process; and discuss current issues in the industry in-depth. Session 2 participants should expect to spend 5-7 hours a week on reading and writing assignments. 

While each session of Summer Libretto Lab will focus on libretto creation specific to opera, it’s not limited to writers interested only in opera. All artists seeking instruction and inspiration in writing text to be set to music are encouraged to participate – including but in no way limited to librettists, poets, singer-songwriters, playwrights, filmmakers, composers, stage directors, dramaturgs, vocalists, instrumentalists, designers, etc. No previous writing experience is required – activities and discussions will be designed to meet the inclusive needs of every participant based on their expressed interests and experience level. This course has no prerequisites, and we encourage all who are interested to apply! We especially encourage women, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC writers to apply, and we offer need-based subsidies to these groups as available.

Feel free to bring ideas and specific concepts to discussions and exercises, but you don’t need to have a “pitch” or any other prerequisites to take this class. The Lab is intended to be a positive space where participants can come up with ideas, discuss them with one another, and support one another in developing them. It’s a space to practice and experiment freely with writing. 

Multi-lingual participants are encouraged to apply, but sessions will be facilitated in English.

Important Information

Sessions & Duration: 

• Session 1, “Introduction to Libretto-Writing”: Four (4) weekly, 2-hr online meetings

• Session 2, “Writing Libretto Scenes”: Four (4) weekly, 2-hr online meetings

Days & Times:

• Session 1: Tuesdays from 8-10pm EST / or / Thursdays from 3-5pm EST

• Tuesday Cohort: June 3, 10, 17, & 24

• Thursday Cohort: June 5, 12, 19, & 26

• Session 2: July, Tuesdays from 8-10pm EST / or / Thursdays from 3-5pm EST

• Tuesday Cohort: July 1, 8, 15, & 22

• Thursday Cohort: July 3, 10, 17, & 24

Deadline to apply: April 30, 2025 by 11:59pm EST

Notification: May 9, 2025

Participant Fee: $269.00

Payment Due: This is a popular workshop, so we require payment in full to secure your spot in the workshop by May 27, 2025.

We offer subsidies (scholarships) to any participant based on expressed need and as funds are available. Indicate in your application if you need a subsidy and we’ll reach out to you directly!

With respect to our extraordinary teaching artists, we cannot offer these classes for free.

To receive a 50% refund of the total tuition, participants must cancel 7 days before the first class start date. There are no refunds for late cancellations or dropouts.

Additional Course Dates

In addition to the weekly meetings, we will also offer Open Mic Nights at the end of each session. This is an opportunity for participants in different cohorts to come together and share their work and celebrate our community! The Open Mic Nights are scheduled for the following dates and will take place over Zoom:

• -For Session 1: Friday, June 27  from 8-10pm EST

• -For Session 2: Friday, August 1 from 8-10pm EST

For Session 2, we will also hold table-reading sessions at the end of the course for writers to hear their words read aloud by others. Table-reads are an essential part of libretto development and will be recorded so that writers can refer to them as they revise their work or develop new work.

What to expect:

We build a safe and vital space for creative ideas to be nurtured as part of a creative community. The Lab allows for peer-learning, valuable critical response and feedback, and hands-on group exercises, discussions, and process-driven activities where each participant will grow and evolve their own individual practice. This is an anti-racist and anti-bigotry program. 

Estimated weekly time commitment

• Co-Learning – 2 hours

• Independent Study – 3-5 hours weekly for Session 1; 5-7 hours weekly for Session 2

• 1:1 Consultation with Guest Librettist - 0.5+ hours

• Total = 5 to 10 hours weekly

Each participant in Session 1 will:

Gain experience through multiple writing assignments and exercises

Create the text for a song or aria

Create a document describing a project they want to develop further, including information like scope, form, and musical forces. This can be used for the basis of work in Session 2 if the participant wishes.

Have temporary access to Guerilla Opera’s full video archive

Each participant in Session 2 will:

Develop an outline for a new short form opera work (a scene or act)

Develop text for at least one aria

Develop text for at least one duet and/or ensemble

Explore character development work

Have temporary access to Guerilla Opera’s full video archive

 Additional discussion topics include:

• Approaches to:

• Creating original libretti

• Adapting pre-existing work as libretti 

• Writing libretti based on auto/biography or historical events

• Artistic activism

• Funding and pitching new works

• Editing and revising

• Dramaturgy

• Research

• Legal considerations and contracts

• Methods for critical response

• Writing for the voice

• Storytelling aesthetics for the stage

• Inclusivity and diversity in opera, including:

Representation in the opera itself

Representation on stage and among performers

Engaging with diverse audiences 

Working with companies of varying means

Accessibility

Collaboration with composers and performers

Technical Requirements:

Participants must have access to a computer, laptop, or smartphone with a video camera, and a reliable internet connection. Participants must be able to use email, Zoom, Google Drive, and Google Docs independently. Participants must know how to create a PDF and upload it to the internet.

Format:

Summer Libretto Lab participants will meet in video conferences via Zoom. Program materials will come from your instructor and be shared using Google Docs and other online resource-sharing programs.

Participants will be expected to complete writing, research, and other activities as assigned by the instructor between sessions so co-learning time can be used for new topics, discussions, and sharing.

Curriculum:

Session 1, “Introduction to Libretto-Writing”

Week 1: Narrative Structures and Methods of Author-Centered Critique
Week 2: Researching a Topic and Developing Plot and Character
Week 3: Writing for Vocalists and Working with Composers

Week 4: Revising, Editing, and Dramaturgy

Session 2, “Writing Libretto Scenes”

Week 1: Defining, Outlining, and Scaffolding Your Project

Week 2: Developing Character, Context, and Aesthetics

Week 3: CRP Workshopping, Editing, and Revising

Week 4: CRP Workshopping and Next Steps

About the Guerilla Libretto Lab:

We want to amplify your unique perspective in our community and give you the ability to share the art forms you love with your community. Our vision is to examine the world through culturally focused and contemporary lenses. We especially encourage women, LGBTQ+ artists, and BIPOC artists to apply, and offer need-based subsidies to these groups as available.

Guerilla Opera is the premiere ensemble for new opera in the Boston area and one of the first in the country to exclusively commission new works. For us, art-making is a collaborative process. Our Libretto Lab supports and helps writers explore the libretto- and lyric-writing part of opera development in depth.

Questions? Email sbeebe@guerillaopera.org.