Jeanine Tesori is used to breaking boundaries. Just last year, the composer became the most Tony-awarded female composer in history when she won her second Tony for the Kimberly Akimbo score. And now, with her opera Grounded, she鈥檚 the first woman to open the Metropolitan Opera season (and only a handful of women who鈥檝e ever been presented at the Met).
It鈥檚 been a surreal experience, she tells 半岛体育: 鈥淚 was floating outside my body, so I wasn't quite there,鈥� she recalled of opening night of Grounded September 23. 鈥淚 have loved, loved working there.鈥�
So much so that she wants her fellow theatre enthusiasts to go to the Met, or any opera, as well. It鈥檚 not just Tesori; over the years, a number of theatre artists have been spending their free time working at the opera. Grounded, which is based on the George Brant play about a female fighter pilot dealing with PTSD, is also directed by Michael Mayer (of the upcoming Swept Away on Broadway). Then after Grounded (running until October 19), David Henry Hwang (whose Yellow Face is currently on Broadway) is premiering a new opera: Ainadamar, about the life of the playwright Federico Garc铆a Lorca. Plus, over the holidays, Julie Taymor鈥檚 production of The Magic Flute will have a remounting.
That鈥檚 not to mention past seasons, which saw Kelli O鈥橦ara singing in the new opera The Hours, Lileana Blain-Cruz directing El Ni帽o, and Robert O鈥橦ara directing X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X.
This focus on theatre artists is intentional, says Met General Manager Peter Gelb: 鈥淥pera is the forerunner of the musical, so it鈥檚 not surprising that there is a crossover between our two audiences. Some of Broadway鈥檚 most successful composers have been inspired by the great opera composers of the past. As a musical theatrical experience, grand opera is like a Broadway musical on steroids since the opera orchestra and chorus are many times the size of what one experiences in a Broadway theatre. And since the Met鈥檚 interest in producing operas, whether they be classics or new works, is narrative clarity and visual stimulation, we鈥檙e naturally drawn to the great directors, designers, and choreographers who work successfully on Broadway and the West End.鈥�
But Tesori knows that it takes more than a familiar name to entice audiences to a show, especially in a medium that is unfamiliar to them. So below, she has taken the time to clear up some misconceptions about opera, in the hopes that it will encourage theatre lovers to become opera lovers.
Misconception #1: 鈥淚t鈥檚 Too Expensive鈥�
There鈥檚 a common assumption that going to the opera is expensive. But actually, tickets to Grounded start at just $35. And generally at the Met, a third of all tickets are priced under $100. That is a virtue of how big the Met is. 鈥淭hat place holds 4,000 people, that's an arena,鈥� says Tesori. It also allows for more variable ticket prices, meaning that everyone is invited. The Met also has a rush policy of $25 day-of tickets, as well as .
Misconception Number 2: 鈥淚 Just Don鈥檛 Like Opera鈥�
A common refrain from folks who don鈥檛 tend to go to the opera is that it鈥檚 because they just don鈥檛 like it as a genre. To Tesori, that鈥檚 similar to someone saying they don鈥檛 like musicals. 鈥淪o many people, [say], 鈥業 hate musicals, but I really loved Fun Home.鈥� And I always think, 鈥業'm so happy you love Fun Home,鈥欌� she remarks. 鈥淚t's like, there are so many different kinds of musicals. They come out of operetta, they come out of vaudeville. You might like this kind, but you won't like this. Not everybody loves every musical.鈥�
So to Tesori, if you don鈥檛 like opera, it might be that you haven鈥檛 seen an opera that you enjoy鈥攖hat the genre is sonically diverse enough that you can find one that you like. Tesori recommends listening to a composer鈥檚 work on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Music (which has a dedicated classical music app). 鈥淣ot every opera is for everyone. Like I'm a Philip Glass fanatic鈥攕o Philip Glass writes something, I'm there. I love Jan谩膷ek, Benjamin Britten, Mozart. But there are some operas I can't find a portal in. But I wouldn't know if I didn't listen ahead of time. So I think part of the beauty of it is to understand what kind of music do you love.鈥�
Misconception #3: "It鈥檚 Too Fancy for Me鈥�
Tesori knows that a big reason theatre audiences don鈥檛 always go to the opera is because they think it鈥檚 too refined for them, that they won鈥檛 鈥済et it.鈥� As she explains: 鈥淚 think the misconceptions are, 鈥業 don't belong there, I have to be smart, I don't know the language, I'll be bored, I don't know what to wear.'"
One critique, the language, is easily fixed鈥攖he Met and many other opera companies have supertitles. And if you鈥檙e scared of being bored, a place like the Met can also provide spectacle: 鈥淚n musicals, we have spectacle, but not at this epic level. I mean, [the Met] has elephants sometimes on stage,鈥� marvels Tesori. As for getting it鈥攖here鈥檚 truly an opera for anyone, whether it鈥檚 the spectacle and classical programming of the Met, or the intimacy and experimentation of companies like the Beth Morrison Projects and Heartbeat Opera. You don't need a doctorate in musicology to appreciate opera鈥擳esori would know, she never went to graduate school.
鈥淓very time I go, my ears and my head expand,鈥� enthuses Tesori. And she also feels that writing an opera has unlocked new tools for her as a composer. 鈥淚 feel like I got a graduate degree just by being around the level of musicianship, orchestrally鈥攁nd the role that a large orchestra can play as a character. And you have to have a swift and sure gesture in opera, because it has to read for thousands of people. And those kinds of voices that are unamplified鈥擨 find them astonishing. I'm really in awe of them.鈥�
