New Work Expo - National Opera Association - Boston, January 2026

 National Opera Association’s 2026 conference in Boston included a New Work Expo.

Exhibiting their operas, composers and librettists with posters, business cards and excerpts shared with attendees the personal story behind their operas whether from the historical viewpoint, to multisensory operas, humor, women’s issues and current political commentary. The creativity and passion for their operas was obvious. Now, as opera lovers we must help promote these musical works.

Here are a few of the presentations:

The Gena Branscombe Project’s Composer scholarship winner, Emily Clements and her librettist Bonita Blunt showcased their opera, “Letters to Lily.”

Iranian composer, Niloufar Nourbakhsh and librettist Lisa Flanagan have created operas about the oppression of women in Iran.

Composer Stephen Eddins comic opera, “Why I Live at the P.O.” based upon a Eudora Welty story has had several productions. I shared with Stephen that my father had been a Postal Inspector.

And, how about an opera about peanut butter and marshmellow fluff? Spicer Carr, composer and Marianna Mott Newirth, librettist, have created an opera about family, food and the essential to everyone’s life…..peanut butter.

Multisensory operas for audiences whether about wine or specters take people on a full life experience. Composer Theo Popov and his librettists have created something for everyone….and if you’re a wine lover…..need I say anything else?

Congratulations to all of the composer/librettist teams.

#TheGenaBranscombeProject

#NationalOperaAssociation

#NewWorkExpo

#EmilyClements

#BonitaBlunt

#letterstoLily

#NiloufarNourbakhsh

#liaFlanagan

#WhyILiveattheP.O.

#StephenEddins

#Fluffernutter

#SpicerCarr

#MariannaMottNewirth

#MultisensoryOpera

#TheoPopov

#EllenLewis

#Peanutbutter

#BringingBackBranscombe

#GivingBackBranscombe