The Moral Weight of the First Sentence

Opera does not begin with music. It begins with permission .Permission for sound to exist, for breath to matter, for silence to carry meaning. Before a composer can imagine harmony or rhythm, the libretto must answer a more difficult question: why must this be sung?  For Mark Campbell, one of the most consequential librettists in contemporary American opera, this question is not aesthetic; it is ethical.

The American Opera Projects (AOP) has, for nearly four decades, stood at the forefront of operatic innovation, serving as both a sanctuary and a springboard for bold new voices. Co-led today by general director Charles Jarden and co-president Sarah Moulton Faux, AOP remains true to its founding mission: nurturing emerging composers and librettists while bringing to life operas that reflect the pulse of contemporary society.