Fort Worth Opera's Salon

Episode 3 of FWO Salon is all about the future of opera! From making music in the digital age to what we can all do to ensure that the opera house is a space where everyone feels welcome, guests Kamala Sankaram (Composer), Nathan Granner (Tenor, Producer), Carrie Shaw (Soprano), and Daniel Bernard Roumain (Composer), share their thoughts with host Joe Illick (Composer, Artistic Director: FWO). Get ready for an episode where our guests celebrate opera in our backyards and on our computers, talk about what belongs on the stage, and get excited about carrying this storied art form into the future!

Joining Maestro and composer Joe Illick at the Salon this time are three members of a rare group of artists: composer-librettists! In this episode, FWO is thrilled to welcome filmmaker, director, performer, composer, curator, teacher and “art-ivist,” Nicole Brooks; Mexican-American composer-librettist and founder & director of Opera Cultura, Héctor Armienta; and nationally-renowned composer-librettist, Rachel J. Peters. Our three guests talk about their compositional processes, the pros and cons of being the sole creator of a work, and ruminate on why they wanted to do it all. We hope you enjoy your visit to the Salon, and leave inspired by these incredible artists. If you have any topics you want to hear about, email salon@fwopera.org or tag us on social media @fortworthopera

In the inaugural episode of Fort Worth Opera’s Salon, Joe Illick hosts a powerhouse panel of opera stars. You’ll hear from stage director and General and Artistic Director of San Antonio Opera E. Loren Meeker, General and Artistic Director of The Glimmerglass Festival and Artistic Director of Washington National Opera Francesca Zambello, composer Missy Mazzoli, and soprano Karen Slack. The conversation kicks off with how each of our brilliant guests approaches storytelling, and finishes with their hopes for the future of opera. We hope you enjoy your very first visit to the Salon!