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August 12, 2020 – Brooklyn, NY — The American Opera Project has received a New Music USA Project Grant to support the continued development and world premiere of The Night Falls, a new dance-driven blend of dance, opera, and musical theater choreographed and directed by Troy Schumacher (the New York City Ballet), with book and lyrics by Karen Russell (Swamplandia!), and music and lyrics by Ellis Ludwig-Leone (San Fermin).
Felisberto, a teenager haunted by recurring nightmares following the death of his boyfriend, begins to suspect that beautiful Sirens are summoning him to a Floridian tourist trap called “The Night Falls”: a derelict campground and watery grotto, home of “the world’s eeriest echoes.” Once there, he discovers others have heard the call—and that they have so much more than a nightmare in common. The Night Falls is new American mythology that asks if art and community can successfully combat nihilism and despair—and if humble humans can brace themselves against the deadly song of the Sirens.
As a producer of new works that are defining contemporary American opera, The American Opera Project was thrilled to join The Night Falls as a producer in 2019, providing libretto readings and music workshops in September of that year. The Night Falls is the newest work to be developed by AOP as part of its Dance Opera Initiative, a creative commitment that launched with Hagoromo (2015, Brooklyn Academy of Music) starring Wendy Whelan & Jock Soto performing to choreography by David Neumann and music by Nathan Davis.
For more information on The Night Falls, visit: aopopera.org/the-night-falls
About New Music USA
New Music USA supports the sounds of tomorrow by nurturing the creation, performance, and appreciation of new music for adventurous listeners around the world. We empower and connect US-based music makers, organizations, and audiences by Providing funding through our Project Grants, fostering new connections through our programs, deepening knowledge through our online magazine NewMusicBox, and working as an advocate for the field. For more information about New Music USA, visit: newmusicusa.org/
About the American Opera Project
Founded in 1988, The American Opera Project (AOP) has been at the forefront of contemporary opera for over 30 years. Its works have received critical acclaim at opera companies and venues around the world, establishing a new musical canon that recognizes the operatic story in every life.
AOP’s mission is to develop and present new and innovative works of lyric theater, provide a creative home to emerging and established artists, and engage contemporary
