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Gene Scheer
Librettist

Biography
Mr. Scheer's work is noted for its scope and versatility. With the composer Jake Heggie, he has collaborated on many projects, including the critically acclaimed 2010 Dallas Opera world premiere, Moby-Dick, starring Ben Heppner as Captain Ahab; Three Decembers (Houston Grand Opera), which starred Frederica von Stade; and the lyric drama To Hell and Back (Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra), which featured Patti LuPone. Other works by Scheer and Heggie include Camille Claudel: Into the fire, a song cycle premiered by Joyce di Donato and the Alexander String Quartet. Mr. Scheer worked as librettist with Tobias Picker on An American Tragedy, which premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in 2005 and on Therese Raquin which was produced by the Dallas Opera in 2001. Other collaborations include the lyrics for Wynton Marsalis's It Never Goes Away, featured in Mr. Marsalis's work Congo Square. With the composer Steven Stucky, Mr. Scheer wrote the oratorio August 4, 1964, for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The work was nominated for a Grammy in 2012 for best classical composition. In 2015, Mr. Scheer collaborated with Joby Talbot on the opera Everest, based on the doomed 1996 Everest expedition. With Jennifer Higdon, Mr. Scheer wrote an operatic adaptation of Cold Mountain, which premiered in the summer of 2015 at the Santa Fe Opera. This work won the International Opera award, presented in London, for the best World premiere in 2015. Recently, along with Ms. Higdon, Mr. Scheer was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Cold Mountain for best classical composition. In December of 2016 Mr. Scheer and Jake Heggie premiered an operatic adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life for the Houston Grand Opera. Also a composer in his own right, Mr. Scheer has written a number of songs for singers such as Renée Fleming, Sylvia McNair, Stephanie Blythe, Jennifer Larmore, Denyce Graves, and Nathan Gunn. The distinguished documentary filmmaker, Ken Burns, prominently featured Mr. Scheer's song “American Anthem” (as sung by Norah Jones) in his Emmy Award-winning World War II documentary for PBS entitled The War.

OPERA America/Opera.ca Grants Awarded
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GRANT NAMEYEAR
The Opera Fund: Audience Development 2017
The Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase 2015
New Works Sampler 2014
New Works Sampler 2013
The Opera Fund: Audience Development 2012
The Opera Fund: Audience Development 2012
New Works Sampler 2011


Productions
Click company name to view productions details.
COMPANYTITLEDATES
Chicago Opera TheaterBefore It All Goes Dark5/25/2024 - 5/26/2024
New Camerata OperaCamille Claudel: Into the Fire11/16/2023 - 11/19/2023
Dallas OperaThe Diving Bell and the Butterfly11/3/2023 - 11/11/2023
Houston Grand OperaIntelligence10/20/2023 - 11/3/2023
Opera ParallèleEverest2/3/2023 - 2/12/2023
Central City OperaOut of Darkness : Two Remain7/16/2022 - 7/28/2022
Opera on the AvalonThree Decembers6/2/2022 - 6/4/2022
Little Opera CompanyThree Decembers5/27/2022 - 5/29/2022
Pacific Opera VictoriaFor a Look or a Touch4/21/2022 - 4/23/2022
Virginia OperaThree Decembers1/28/2022 - 2/13/2022
Festival OperaCamille Claudel: Into the Fire8/13/2021 - 8/15/2021
Festival OperaFor a Look or a Touch8/13/2021 - 8/15/2021
Hawai'i Opera TheatreIf I Were You4/23/2021 - 4/25/2021
Opera San JoséThree Decembers12/3/2020 - 12/3/2020
Austin OperaEverest1/23/2020 - 1/26/2020
Chicago Opera TheaterEverest11/16/2019 - 11/17/2019
University of Colorado BoulderIt's a Wonderful Life11/15/2019 - 11/17/2019
Merola Opera ProgramIf I Were You8/1/2019 - 8/6/2019
Boston Opera CollaborativeTo Hell and Back5/11/2019 - 5/11/2019
Chicago Opera TheaterMoby-Dick4/25/2019 - 4/28/2019
San Diego Opera AssociationThree Decembers3/8/2019 - 3/10/2019
Tri-Cities OperaThree Decembers2/22/2019 - 3/3/2019
Fargo-Moorhead OperaThree Decembers2/15/2019 - 2/17/2019
Opera San JoséMoby-Dick2/9/2019 - 2/24/2019
Calgary Opera AssociationEverest2/2/2019 - 2/8/2019
Opera MODOThree Decembers12/21/2018 - 12/22/2018
San Francisco OperaIt's a Wonderful Life11/17/2018 - 12/9/2018
Nashville OperaThree Decembers11/9/2018 - 11/11/2018
STL Opera CollectiveThree Decembers9/7/2018 - 9/8/2018
Opera MaineThree Decembers7/11/2018 - 7/16/2018
Painted Sky OperaThree Decembers5/11/2018 - 5/13/2018
Livermore Valley OperaThree Decembers4/28/2018 - 4/29/2018
Atlanta OperaOut of Darkness : Two Remain4/5/2018 - 4/15/2018
Pittsburgh OperaMoby-Dick3/17/2018 - 3/25/2018
Utah Symphony | Utah OperaMoby-Dick1/20/2018 - 1/28/2018
Lyric Opera of Kansas CityEverest11/11/2017 - 11/19/2017
North Carolina OperaCold Mountain9/28/2017 - 9/28/2017
Opera MemphisThree Decembers4/1/2017 - 4/8/2017
Hawai'i Opera TheatreThree Decembers3/24/2017 - 3/26/2017
Opera BirminghamThree Decembers1/20/2017 - 1/22/2017
Opera MODOThree Decembers12/16/2016 - 12/17/2016
Houston Grand OperaIt's a Wonderful Life12/2/2016 - 12/17/2016
Dallas OperaMoby-Dick11/4/2016 - 11/20/2016
Florentine Opera CompanyThree Decembers3/11/2016 - 3/20/2016
Opera PhiladelphiaCold Mountain2/5/2016 - 2/14/2016
Kentucky OperaThree Decembers11/13/2015 - 11/15/2015
Los Angeles OperaMoby-Dick10/31/2015 - 11/28/2015
Santa Fe OperaCold Mountain8/1/2015 - 8/22/2015
Atlanta OperaThree Decembers5/29/2015 - 5/31/2015
Chicago Opera TheaterThérèse Raquin2/20/2015 - 2/28/2015
Dallas OperaEverest1/30/2015 - 2/7/2015
Long Beach OperaThérèse Raquin1/24/2015 - 2/1/2015
Des Moines Metro OperaThree Decembers12/5/2014 - 12/6/2014
UrbanAriasThree Decembers9/27/2014 - 10/4/2014
Glimmerglass FestivalAn American Tragedy7/7/2014 - 8/24/2014
Festival OperaAnother Sunrise4/26/2014 - 4/26/2014
San Francisco OperaMoby-Dick10/10/2012 - 11/11/2012
Fort Worth OperaThree Decembers5/5/2012 - 6/6/2012
San Diego Opera AssociationMoby-Dick2/2/2012 - 2/26/2012
Calgary Opera AssociationMoby-Dick1/1/2012 - 2/3/2012
Central City OperaThree Decembers7/7/2010 - 8/8/2010
Chicago Opera TheaterThree Decembers5/16/2010 - 5/16/2010
Dallas OperaMoby-Dick4/4/2010 - 5/16/2010
Cal PerformancesThree Decembers12/12/2008 - 12/12/2008
San Francisco OperaThree Decembers12/11/2008 - 12/13/2008
Houston Grand OperaThree Decembers2/2/2008 - 3/15/2008
Dicapo Opera TheatreThérèse Raquin2/2/2007 - 2/25/2007
Metropolitan OperaAn American Tragedy12/1/2005 - 12/27/2005
San Diego Opera AssociationThérèse Raquin3/3/2003 - 3/30/2003
Opéra de MontréalThérèse Raquin2/2/2002 - 2/23/2002
Dallas OperaThérèse Raquin11/29/2001 - 12/12/2001


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