Philadelphia has produced its share of opera singers. But what about operas themselves? Conservatives might say we have quite enough of them already. Nonetheless, there are currently six operas in the making in our region - one, each, by Jennifer Higdon, Missy Mazzoli, and Melissa Dunphy, and two from Andrea Clearfield. But the Philadelphia Inquirer's David Patrick Stearns tracked down the one who crossed the finish line first - Havertown-based Michael Hersch - only to ask, is this really opera?
Michael Hersch's opera, On the Threshold of Winter, premieres next summer in New York by the Nunc new music ensemble.