Composer and activist Laura Kaminsky staged her flagship opera As One for the first time in 2014. Since then, it has been produced over twenty times, making it the most-performed contemporary opera in the U.S. Listen as Artistic Director Evans Mirageas talks with Kaminsky about her unusual path to becoming a composer, her past work, and the story behind her groundbreaking chamber opera.
Show Notes
Kaminksy’s father grew up during the Great Depression, her mother experienced the London Blitz when she was young
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York State Theater (now the David H. Koch Theater)
The High School of Music & Art (now Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & the Arts)
Women composers of the 20th century: Lili Boulanger, Florence Price, Amy Beach
Kaminsky received an undergraduate degree in psychology from Oberlin College
Mirageas served as the Senior Vice President of Artists and Repertoire at Decca Records in London
And Trouble Came is a piece Kaminsky composed for narrator, viola, cello, and piano in 1993
20th century eastern European composers: Krzysztof Penderecki, Dmitri Shostakovich, Henryk Górecki
As One is Kaminsky’s first opera
Kimberly Reed is a filmmaker and created films for As One
Sasha Cooke (mezzo-soprano), Kelly Markgraf (baritone) were the premiere cast for As One
Kaminsky’s favorite place in Cincinnati is Maplewood Kitchen
Today it Rains is a new chamber opera by Kaminsky
Kaminsky’s opera Some Light Emerges participated in Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s Opera Fusion: New Works workshop in 2016
Kaminsky was the Associate Director of Humanities at the 92nd Street Y
Kaminsky was in awe when she met Chick Corea