The Fort Worth Opera has come a long way since its first season in 1946-47 when it produced two timeless and beloved three-act masterpieces, La Traviata and Madame Butterfly.
Texas' oldest continually performing opera company, which has had its challenges over the years, has evolved into one of the most exciting, daring and provocative companies in the nation, producing bold new works alongside the cherished classics.The FWO, since 2001 under the guiding hand of General Director Darren K. Woods, successfully transitioned to a one-month festival format in 2007, a move that was an instant hit, along with the company's commitment to stage world and regional premieres.Last year the creatively astute Woods was named by Opera News as one of 25 important influencers for the opera world in the coming decade, and an announcement by FWO this week confirms he deserves that honor.On Monday, Fort Worth Opera released details of a grand vision that includes a "10-year artistic commitment" to produce the work of contemporary composers of the Americas which, if delivered -- and there's no reason to believe it won't be -- promises to position FWO as a trendsetter, as opposed to trend follower, beyond the U.S. borders for years to come.In the first phase of its "Opera of the Americas," the FWO, beginning in 2014, will present three world premieres and a national co-production that will include a newly commissioned opera, tentatively titled JFK, focusing on President John F. Kennedy's morning in Fort Worth before he left for Dallas Nov. 22, 1963. The world premiere of JFK will occur during 2016, the Fort Worth Opera's 70th anniversary year.Next year it will premiere the first professional production of With Blood, With Ink, based on a true story about a 17th century Mexican nun, Sor (Sister) Juana Inés de la Cruz, who was forced by the Inquisition to sign an oath in blood renouncing her life's work as poet, theologian and fighter for women's rights.Woods has said he wants FWO to "re-define opera as an exciting experience" by producing works with a storyline "that will resonate on an intimate, individual level, evoking an emotional response and need for reflection."It appears he and the company are headed straight toward that end.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
