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Mark Campbell
Librettist

Biography
Mark Campbell's work as a librettist is at the forefront of the contemporary opera scene in this country. A prolific writer, Mark has created 39 opera librettos, lyrics for 7 musicals, and the text for 6 song cycles and 3 oratorios. His works for the stage have been performed at more than 90 musical venues around the world and the names of his collaborators comprise a roster of the most eminent composers in classical music and include three Pulitzer Prize winners.

Mark's best-known work is Silent Night, which received a Pulitzer Prize in Music and is one of the most frequently produced operas in recent history. The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, an audience favorite, received a 2018 GRAMMY Award for Best Opera Recording. Mark's other successful operas include The Shining, Stonewall, Later the Same Evening, The Nefarious, Immoral but Highly Profitable Enterprise of Mr. Burke & Mr. Hare, The Manchurian Candidate, As One, The Other Room, Empty the House, Approaching Ali, A Letter to East 11th Street, Dinner at Eight, Volpone, Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World, Bernadette's Cozy Book Nook, Stone Soup, and Bastianello/Lucrezia. His musicals include Songs from an Unmade Bed, The Audience and Splendora. He has also created a successful new adaptation of Stravinsky/ Ramuz's The Soldier's Story.

Mark has received many other prestigious prizes for his work, including the first Kleban Foundation Award for Lyricist, a Grammy nomination for Best Classical Recording, two Richard Rodgers Awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, three Drama Desk nominations, a Jonathan Larson Foundation Award, a New York Foundation for the Arts Playwriting Fellowship, the first Dominic J. Pelliciotti Award, and a grant from the New York State Council of the Arts.

Recordings of his works include: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (Pentatone), Sanctuary Road (Naxos), Silent Night (Naxos), As One (Bright Shiny Things), Volpone (Wolf Trap Records), Bastianello/Lucrezia (Bridge), Rappahannock County (Naxos), Later the Same Evening (Albany) and Songs from an Unmade Bed (Ghostlight).

Mark is also an advocate for contemporary American opera and serves as a mentor for future generations of writers through such organizations as American Opera Projects, American Lyric Theatre, and Washington National Opera's American Opera Initiative. In 2020, he created and is funding the Campbell Opera Librettist Prize, the first and only award for opera librettists. The award is given annually and administered by OPERA America.

Future premieres include The Secret River for Opera Orlando (Stella Sung, composer); A Nation of Others for the Oratorio Society of New York (Paul Moravec, composer); Edward Tulane for Minnesota Opera (Paola Prestini, composer); A Sweet Silence in Cremona for the Villa la Pietra–Continuum Theater, Florence (Roberto Scarcella Perino, composer); Supermax for Saratoga Opera (Stewart Wallace, composer; Michael Korie, co-librettist); A Thousand Acres for Des Moines Metro Opera (Kristin Kuster, composer) and the book for the musical Les Girls (Cole Porter, composer).

OPERA America/Opera.ca Grants Awarded
Click here to learn more about OPERA America granting programs.
GRANT NAMEYEAR
Opera Grants for Women Composers: Commissioning Grants2020
The Opera Fund: Audience Development 2017
Opera Grants for Women Composers: Commissioning Grants2017
Opera Grants for Women Composers: Commissioning Grants2017
New Works Sampler 2016
Opera Grants for Women Composers: Commissioning Grants2016
The Opera Fund: Audience Development 2015
New Works Sampler 2015
Opera Grants for Women Composers: Discovery Grants2014
The Opera Fund: Repertoire Development2013
The Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase 2013
The Opera Fund: Audience Development 2012
The Opera Fund: Repertoire Development2011
New Works Sampler 2011


Productions
Click company name to view productions details.
COMPANYTITLEDATES
Washington National OperaThe (R)evolution of Steve Jobs5/2/2025 - 5/10/2025
Portland OperaThe Shining3/15/2025 - 3/23/2025
Nashville OperaThe Cook-Off11/15/2024 - 11/17/2024
Austin OperaThe Manchurian Candidate11/9/2024 - 11/10/2024
Wolf Trap Opera CompanySilent Night8/9/2024 - 8/17/2024
Glimmerglass FestivalElizabeth Cree7/28/2024 - 8/20/2024
Kentucky OperaAs One4/12/2024 - 4/19/2024
Virginia OperaSanctuary Road1/26/2024 - 2/11/2024
San Francisco OperaThe (R)evolution of Steve Jobs9/22/2023 - 10/7/2023
Atlanta OperaThe Shining9/15/2023 - 10/1/2023
Seattle OperaFrida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World6/25/2023 - 6/25/2023
Opera ParallèleThe Shining6/2/2023 - 6/4/2023
Utah Symphony | Utah OperaThe (R)evolution of Steve Jobs5/6/2023 - 5/14/2023
Opéra LouisianeApproaching Ali3/31/2023 - 4/1/2023
Opera Las VegasApproaching Ali3/18/2023 - 3/19/2023
Lyric Opera of Kansas CityThe Shining3/11/2023 - 3/19/2023
Calgary Opera AssociationThe (R)evolution of Steve Jobs2/4/2023 - 2/10/2023
Penn Square OperaSanctuary Road2/3/2023 - 2/5/2023
Lyric Opera of the NorthAs One10/10/2022 - 10/11/2022
Minnesota OperaEdward Tulane10/8/2022 - 10/16/2022
Opera SteamboatAs One9/24/2022 - 9/24/2022
Des Moines Metro OperaA Thousand Acres7/9/2022 - 7/22/2022
Atlanta OperaAs One6/9/2022 - 6/11/2022
Atlanta OperaThe (R)evolution of Steve Jobs4/30/2022 - 5/8/2022
Opera Santa BarbaraAs One3/25/2022 - 3/27/2022
Lyric Opera of Kansas CityThe (R)evolution of Steve Jobs3/11/2022 - 3/13/2022
North Carolina OperaSanctuary Road3/4/2022 - 3/6/2022
Opera ColoradoThe Shining2/26/2022 - 3/6/2022
Austin OperaThe (R)evolution of Steve Jobs2/3/2022 - 2/6/2022
Opera OrlandoThe Secret River12/17/2021 - 12/19/2021
West Edge OperaElizabeth Cree7/25/2021 - 8/7/2021
Opera MaineAs One7/16/2021 - 7/18/2021
Opera OrlandoAs One5/21/2021 - 5/23/2021
Painted Sky OperaAs One5/14/2021 - 5/16/2021
Utah Symphony | Utah OperaSilent Night1/18/2020 - 1/26/2020
Opera ColumbusAs One11/8/2019 - 11/10/2019
Pensacola OperaAs One11/1/2019 - 11/3/2019
Seagle FestivalThe Manchurian Candidate7/31/2019 - 8/3/2019
American Opera ProjectsAs One5/30/2019 - 6/6/2019
Eugene OperaAs One5/17/2019 - 5/19/2019
Opera IdahoAs One5/9/2019 - 5/11/2019
Opera PhiladelphiaEmpty the House5/2/2019 - 5/5/2019
Opera ParallèleToday It Rains3/28/2019 - 3/31/2019
Portland OperaAs One3/22/2019 - 3/30/2019
Arizona OperaSilent Night3/1/2019 - 3/10/2019
Seattle OperaThe (R)evolution of Steve Jobs2/23/2019 - 3/9/2019
Austin OperaSilent Night1/26/2019 - 2/3/2019
Alamo City OperaAs One1/19/2019 - 1/20/2019
Washington National OperaSilent Night11/10/2018 - 11/25/2018
Minnesota OperaSilent Night11/10/2018 - 11/18/2018
Indiana University Opera and Ballet TheaterThe (R)evolution of Steve Jobs9/14/2018 - 9/22/2018
Chautauqua OperaAs One8/7/2018 - 8/7/2018
Cincinnati OperaAs One7/25/2018 - 7/30/2018
Glimmerglass FestivalSilent Night7/15/2018 - 8/23/2018
Opera on the AvalonAs One5/24/2018 - 5/24/2018
Chicago Opera TheaterElizabeth Cree2/10/2018 - 2/18/2018
Anchorage OperaAs One2/9/2018 - 2/11/2018
Lyric Opera of Kansas CityAs One1/27/2018 - 1/28/2018
Boston Opera CollaborativeAs One1/25/2018 - 1/28/2018
Hawai'i Opera TheatreAs One1/11/2018 - 1/16/2018
Des Moines Metro OperaAs One11/17/2017 - 11/19/2017
San Diego Opera AssociationAs One11/10/2017 - 11/12/2017
Boston Lyric OperaThe Nefarious, Immoral but Highly Profitable Enterprise of Mr. Burke 11/8/2017 - 11/12/2017
Piedmont OperaSilent Night10/27/2017 - 10/31/2017
Opera PhiladelphiaElizabeth Cree9/14/2017 - 9/23/2017
Wolf Trap Opera CompanyBastianello8/11/2017 - 8/19/2017
Santa Fe OperaThe (R)evolution of Steve Jobs7/22/2017 - 8/25/2017
New Orleans Opera AssociationAs One6/2/2017 - 6/4/2017
Long Beach OperaAs One5/13/2017 - 5/21/2017
Opera MemphisLater the Same Evening3/31/2017 - 4/8/2017
Minnesota OperaDinner at Eight3/11/2017 - 3/19/2017
Opera ColoradoAs One3/2/2017 - 3/4/2017
Pittsburgh OperaAs One2/18/2017 - 2/26/2017
Opera San JoséSilent Night2/11/2017 - 2/26/2017
Detroit OperaSilent Night11/12/2016 - 11/20/2016
Seattle OperaAs One11/11/2016 - 11/19/2016
Atlanta OperaSilent Night11/5/2016 - 11/13/2016
Austin OperaThe Manchurian Candidate9/17/2016 - 9/17/2016
Central City OperaLater the Same Evening7/28/2016 - 8/5/2016
Minnesota OperaThe Shining5/7/2016 - 5/15/2016
UrbanAriasAs One10/3/2015 - 10/10/2015
West Edge OperaAs One7/26/2015 - 8/8/2015
Opéra de MontréalSilent Night5/16/2015 - 5/23/2015
Minnesota OperaThe Manchurian Candidate3/7/2015 - 3/15/2015
Lyric Opera of Kansas CitySilent Night2/21/2015 - 3/1/2015
North Carolina OperaApproaching Ali1/29/2015 - 1/31/2015
Calgary Opera AssociationSilent Night11/8/2014 - 11/14/2014
American Opera ProjectsAs One9/5/2014 - 9/9/2014
Cincinnati OperaSilent Night7/10/2014 - 7/12/2014
Fort Worth OperaSilent Night5/5/2014 - 5/10/2014
Opera PhiladelphiaSilent Night2/2/2013 - 2/17/2013
Boston Lyric OperaThe Inspector4/4/2012 - 4/29/2012
Minnesota OperaSilent Night11/20/2011 - 11/20/2011
Glimmerglass FestivalLater the Same Evening7/7/2011 - 8/22/2011
Maryland OperaLater the Same Evening11/11/2007 - 12/2/2007
American Opera ProjectsA Hunger Artist (Three Lost Chords)10/1/2003 - 11/1/2003


Artist Information

All information is derived from OPERA America's Season Schedule of Performances and titles databases which date back to 1991. OPERA America is constantly updating this data. If you feel that a work or an artist has been omitted or that information is incorrect, please use the linked forms below.
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