“Described as ‘hallucinatory’ and ‘psychedelic,’ The Wake World cast a spell over audiences and critics last September when it received its premiere as part of Opera Philadelphia’s O17 Festival,” writes James Bash in Monday’s (4/9) Classical Voice North America. “Now the enigmatic and enchanting opera by David Hertzberg, who wrote the music and libretto, has captured the second MCANA Award for Best New Opera, presented by the Music Critics Association of North America. Established in 2016, the award recognizes musical and theatrical excellence at a time of heightened interest in presenting contemporary opera. ‘The Wake World was incredibly original in terms of the story and the musical language,’ said Heidi Waleson, opera critic for the Wall Street Journal.… Waleson [and other members of the] awards committee … chose The Wake World [from] a group of finalists … including William Bolcom’s Dinner at Eight, Mason Bates’ The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, and Annie Gosfield’s War of the Worlds.”
Posted April 10, 2018
