The Opera Writers Diversity and Representation Initiative

In order to address the artistic vitality of the field and the diversity of works being produced, we must address who is being trained and given the opportunity to write new operas.

ALT has reinforced its racial justice and equity through the creation of the Opera Writers Diversity and Representation Initiative (OWDARI), the goal of which is to increase participation in the CLDP by BIPOC artists; and ultimately, increase BIPOC artists’ contributions to the national canon of new operas. Through the lens of the OWDARI, ALT is addressing the following key areas (click to jump to each section): Artistic Leadership; Faculty and Curriculum; Artist Recruitment and Selection; and Board and Governance.

White leadership continues to dominate the opera field. We could not help but ask: what would happen at ALT if our artistic leadership better reflected the diversity we seek among artists writing for the opera stage? How might a shared-leadership model, comprised of individuals with significantly different backgrounds, positively influence who is being provided with mentorship opportunities, how new works development programs are being shaped, and who is ultimately getting commissioned to write new operas? 

Through discussions catalyzed by the OWDARI, ALT has transitioned to a shared leadership model through which ALT’s founder Lawrence Edelson now shares artistic and curatorial responsibilities with the company’s newly appointed Associate Artistic Director, Kelly Kuo. Working together with ALT’s board of directors and artistic staff, Lawrence and Kelly are leading the company’s efforts to create more equitable opportunities for BIPOC artists through all of the company’s programs.

Mark Adamo, Daniel Catàn, Anthony Davis, Lawrence Edelson, Cori Ellison, and Rhoda Levine were the founding faculty members of the Composer Librettist Development Program. While diversity has always been a core value for ALT, as the program has grown, our mentorship faculty has not sufficiently evolved to reflect the racial diversity of artists who are contributing to 21st century opera’s renaissance. 

ALT’s Artistic Leadership team is working to identify new BIPOC faculty mentors who can complement our current faculty and contribute valuable, unique perspective to artists in the CLDP. ALT’s core curriculum is also being thoroughly examined to ensure that diverse perspectives in musical and theatrical approaches to storytelling are studied, to ensure that historically underrepresented writers are returned to their rightful place in the study of the evolution of the art form, and to eliminate any implicit bias that adversely impacts our efforts to create a truly inclusive and safe environment for all artists to explore and hone their craft.

Through the lens of the OWDARI, we have been asking:

1. How can ALT attract more qualified BIPOC artists to apply for the CLDP? What has “qualified” meant for ALT historically? Has this definition, or any other part of the application process, served as a barrier for more BIPOC artists to apply for — or be accepted to — the program? Can and should this definition be more flexible? 

2. Is ALT best served by defining BIPOC artists broadly, or should more specific groups be targeted in the recruitment process? If the latter, which groups, and why? 

3. While digital delivery of training programs has been optimized in recent years, our experience with both digital and hybrid approaches has demonstrated that there are significant benefits to the CLDP’s structure as an in-person residency during the first year core-curriculum. As ALT is located in New York City, what financial, geographic, or other barriers could be preventing more BIPOC artists from applying to and participating in the program, and how can we address them? Could ALT create an effective digital training program for operatic writers to help address issues of racial equity and access?

4. How can we build better awareness among BIPOC artists of the opportunities available for them at ALT?

This work is ongoing, and is part of ALT’s long-term commitment to mentoring the next generation of operatic writers that reflect the vibrancy and diversity of contemporary American society. During the 2020–21 season, ALT is taking the following actions to immediately begin addressing these questions:

1. Marketing and PR: ALT is promoting the CLDP in a more targeted manner to focus on recruitment of BIPOC artists and is proactively reaching outside of ALT’s existing network to seek recommendations for CLDP participation. Strategies include organic and paid marketing on social media channels; promotion through key affinity groups (ie. SphinxConnect, Black Opera Alliance, OPERA America’s ALAANA Network); and interfacing with other organizations with significant BIPOC artist participation, including Chicago Dramatists, Playwright’s Center Minneapolis, National Black Theater, Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, and HBCUs with notable music and/or theater programs. 

2. Research: ALT has conducted research on all 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States, as well as music and theater programs at other post-secondary institutions and non-profit organizations with diverse enrollment and strong music and/or theater programs, to identify potential partners for future CLDP residencies as well as contacts within these organizations who can recommend applicants for the CLDP.

3. Engagement: ALT will hold a Virtual Symposium in the winter and spring of 2021, through which ALT faculty members, alumni, and guests will provide BIPOC and other artists with an introduction to writing for the opera stage, while simultaneously building awareness of the CLDP to foster increased applications to the program. 

4. Selection Criteria: We are examining the current CLDP application and selection process to ensure that there are not barriers for applying to the program for BIPOC artists, and to ensure that the artists accepted into the CLDP reflect ALT’s DEI goals of identifying gifted operatic writers from diverse backgrounds from across the country.

5. Quantitative Goals: ALT will establish quantitative goals that provide benchmarks for evaluating how effective the company is at attracting more BIPOC applicants to the CLDP through the OWDARI. 

6. Financial Support: Participation in the first year of the CLDP involves over 250 hours of class and workshop activities over a nine-month period. The intensity of the program is comparable to that of a Master’s program. Artists typically hold part-time jobs and contracted employment while completing the program, but the CLDP requires a considerable investment of time both to participate in classes and workshops and to complete writing assignments. As such, financial capacity continues to impact who is able to make a commitment to participate in the CLDP, and we must address the correlation of financial capacity and race. For this reason, we are increasing the first-year artist stipend from $10,000 per artist in the previous cycle to $20,000 per artist in the 2021–22 season. This stipend is not intended to serve as the artists’ sole income, but rather, to supplement their income in a way that will allow them to dedicate themselves more fully to the CLDP.

ALT has been reviewing the Board's recruitment culture and decision-making methodologies for inherent racism and/or implicit bias. 

1. This review includes providing better transparency around organizational leadership hires, including a commitment to publicly announcing the searches for all open positions.

2. The Board of Directors is actively pursuing equitable measures to ensure that BIPOC candidates are sought for the applicant pool for all such positions. For our recent Associate Artistic Director Search, we received 84 applications, 72 of which were from BIPOC candidates.

3. This review also includes a thorough evaluation of the criteria for consideration to become a trustee of the organization.

4. The Board of Directors is currently working to address any specific blind spots that serve as barriers to the successful recruitment and/or onboarding of BIPOC trustees or leadership staff, and is committed to developing actionable strategies to dismantle such barriers.

We know we cannot do this work alone. Even with the best of intentions, we acknowledge that effective equity and inclusion work requires specialized knowledge and training. ALT is hiring a third-party racial equity consultant to work in conjunction with Staff and the Board of Directors to evaluate current and proposed strategies, to ensure the soundness and sufficiency of practices, and to create systems for monitoring the company’s progress over time. This consultant will be hired by ALT no later than April 1, 2021.

Advisory Committee

ALT is grateful to the OWDARI Advisory Committee, comprised of BIPOC artists and related experts in the field, who helped us look at our goals and challenges with fresh eyes: Afa S. Dworkin (President and Artistic Director of the Sphinx Organization); Anthony Davis (Composer, ALT guest faculty, Professor UCSD); Justine F. Chen (Composer, CLDP alumna); Jorge Sosa (Composer, CLDP alumnus); Ana De Archuleta (Artist Manager); Michael Mori (General Director, Tapestry Opera); and Alexa Smith (Chief of Staff, Manhattan School of Music).