The Guerillas Spark a Creative Renaissance with the Revival of Libretto Writing Labs
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Angela Yam, Marketing Coordinator
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The Guerillas Spark a Creative Renaissance with the Revival of Libretto Writing Labs
Boston, MA (4/29/2024) — Guerilla Opera ignites the spirit of creativity by reviving their virtual libretto writing labs. This “punk” organization embodies art that emerges from those who challenge the status quo and, for them, “opera” is any work where the music acts as the catalyst for the drama and action of a story. By examining this definition in their libretto labs, they encourage artists with unique voices to tell progressive stories in new and creative ways starting with the text.
“There are only so many works we are able to take on and produce. Yet, there is still a need in the community to gather and develop stories. The LIbretto Labs and Writing Collective are our way to serve more of the community and help get their ideas into the world. We want to encourage artists to start more projects that confront antiquated traditions in the music industry and the world around us.” - Aliana de la Guardia, Executive Director of Guerilla Opera
The company offers two courses to curious artists who are interested in exploring the art of writing through the lens of opera. The first is the “Guerilla Lab: Libretto Writing”, a four-class summer course that serves as an introductory-level exploration into writing for opera. Writers who are new to opera or writing for opera will explore structures and techniques to begin generating ideas for stories as well as prompts to guide their writing practice. Following the 4-week course, students will have an outline for a full work, as well as 2 pieces of written text.
The “Guerilla Writing Collective” is a next-level course, a nine-month cohort that starts in the fall. The Collective is geared toward artists whose goal is to complete a draft of a new work. At the end of the nine-month program, each participant will have a full reading of their completed text.
In both courses, participants will develop and hone their own unique approaches to writing musical text, and have their pieces workshopped by the group through table-readings and other formats. This peer-learning model allows participants to support one another as a community by acting as readers for each other. It additionally serves as an accountability and support group by providing constructive feedback for the works as they develop.
Both courses are led by Kendra Preston Leonard, a writer, scholar, and musician with extensive experience writing opera libretti. Her warm and open approach to creative writing, love of teaching, and interest in highlighting traditionally marginalized voices in the opera world make her an ideal Guerilla collaborator:
"I'm excited to be working with Guerilla Opera in teaching and supporting writers in their creation of new libretti that explore and advocate for representation, equity, and equality. Guerilla Opera and I share a commitment to challenging the status quo in opera, addressing contemporary issues, and empowering marginalized performers and figures.” - Kendra Preston Leonard
Although these courses do look at text writing from the perspective of opera, all artists working on text for musical performances are encouraged to participate including composers, librettists, poets, playwrights, filmmakers, stage directors, dramaturgs, vocalists, instrumentalists, designers, etc.
“These courses will be inclusive and encouraging environments for writers of all experience levels in which they can experiment, practice, and develop their skills in writing text that will be sung. I especially encourage women (cis and trans), nonbinary, LGBTQIA2S+, and BIPOC writers to apply." - Kendra Preston Leonard
Female-identifying, LGBTQIA+, and BIPOC artists are encouraged to apply! Multi-lingual participants are also encouraged to apply, though sessions will be facilitated in English.
To learn more and apply to Guerilla Opera’s “Guerilla Labs” and libretto writing courses, visit guerillaopera.org/guerilla-lab. Contact Maggi Chauby, Community & Education Manager at mchauby@guerillaopera.org with any questions or for more information.
The "Guerilla Lab: Libretto Writing" and "Guerilla Writing Collective" are supported by a Creative Vitality Grant from The Barr Foundation and a Staffing the Humanities Grant from Mass Humanities, which is made possible by funding from the Mass Cultural Council.
Guerilla Opera’s season is supported by grants from the Alice M. Ditson Fund, Amphion Foundation, Foley Hoag Foundation, The Lincoln and Therese Filene Foundation, Mass Cultural Council, Boston Cultural Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and Puffin Foundation, and from generous individuals listed on their website.###
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ABOUT GUERILLA OPERA
Guerilla Opera is a BIPOC and feminist organization, Boston's only experimental chamber opera ensemble, and one of only a few in the world with a mission to exclusively present new works of opera theater. Founded in 2007, the ensemble has accumulated a repertoire of over 40 new works by 30 composers. One of Boston’s most exciting companies, they have garnered a national reputation for innovative contemporary opera and daring performances with Opera News raving that “Guerilla Opera redefines the opera experience.”
The works commissioned by this artist-led ensemble are custom-tailored to their artists, who confront, examine, and question traditional conceptions of what is “operatic” by championing cutting-edge music and immersing audiences in profound experiences. Their vision is to bring new music to new audiences through a unique body of work that ferociously confronts the status quo, eschews antiquated and stereotypical traditions of the art form of opera, and examines stories by and for the people of today through contemporary lenses. They model creative authenticity and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (IDEA) in order to inspire and influence emerging generations of artists and creators. (guerillaopera.org)
ABOUT THE FASCILITATOR
Kendra Preston Leonard is a librettist dedicated to representing diverse identities on the opera stage, drawing on her own experiences as an autistic, disabled, queer woman, and the experiences of her collaborators; and creating works that show the empowerment of women, non-binary, and queer characters, as well as autistic and disabled characters, performed by artists who identify themselves in these marginalized groups. She is committed to making operas that can be performed by organizations of different sizes and means, and that can be performed in accessible and non-traditional performance spaces.
Forthcoming premieres include the opera scene “This is Jane,” with music by Angela Elizabeth Slater about the famous Jane Collective, an underground abortion service, at the 2024 Aspen Music Festival; Montevergine, a companion opera to Suor Angelica with music by Steven Sérpa, commissioned by Opera Queens and slated for a 2025 premiere; she who will trouble you all night, a monodrama with music by Rosśa Crean, commissioned by Hilary Whitmore for premiere in 2025; and Protectress, a full-length opera with music by composer Jessica Rudman, tentatively scheduled for a 2025 premiere. Protectress has been workshopped by the American Opera Project (2021) and Opera Contempo (2023), the latter of which presented a public workshop performance of Act I.
Recent premieres include the 2023 operas Neither Created Nor Destroyed with Rudman, commissioned by ENA Ensemble; and Waters Rising with composer Tim Hinck, commissioned by Arts Capacity and created in partnership with the inmates of Walker State Prison in Georgia. Now Available (2021), about a singer’s experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic, was performed at the Women Composers Festival of Hartford, the Darkwater Womxn in Music Festival, and the One Voice Project Micro-Opera Project. Wide Awake in the New City (2021), about finding a new community during the pandemic, was performed at the One Voice Project Micro-Opera Project; Woman Waits with Sword (2021), based on the life of Alberte-Barbe D’ernécourt, Dame de Saint-Baslemont, was premiered at the One Voice Project Micro-Opera Project the has upcoming performances in the US and in Australia. Par for the Course (2020), about Babe Didrikson Zaharias, has been performed at Rhymes with Opera, New Music Gathering, Opera Santa Barbara’s Celebrating Women’s History Month, the One Voice Project Micro-Opera Project, and New Opera West; Sense of Self (2020), about an athlete making decisions about her breast cancer treatment options, was commissioned and premiered by Opera Elect in 2020 and performed by Opera Elect at New Music Gathering 2023. The Harbingers, with music by composer Rosśa Crean, was premiered in 2019 and has upcoming performances scheduled; Marie Curie Learns to Swim, about Curie’s life and relationship with her work and her family, was premiered in 2018 by Hartford Opera Theater.
Works in progress include a monodrama about post-partum depression with composer Matt Frey, commissioned by singer Jenny Ribiero; Livia Holds the Lantern, a collaboration with composer Michael Oberhauser about the lives of women in Pompeii that draws on recent archaeological finds at the famous site; and The Sybil in the Machine, with composer Spiros Mazis; and Tobermory.