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“New operas are performed in every major opera house. I’m so grateful that CU NOW was introduced to me by the Eklund Opera Program and Leigh Holman more than a decade ago. Back then, I worked from scratch with composers and librettists—now, I sing commissioned works at major houses. CU NOW opened a new door for me.” 
—Wei Wu (MMus ’13), Grammy Award-winning bass; CU NOW singer 2011-2014 

“I became a modern American opera enthusiast after creating the role of Krystyna Zywulska in the collegiate premiere of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s ‘Out of Darkness: Two Remain’ at LSU in 2019. While I was researching and applying to graduate programs, a family friend sent me an article in Opera News about an exciting new opera program (CU NOW) where both Heggie and Scheer workshopped their new works with graduate students at the ��ƷSM����ӰƬ. Before reading that article, ��ƷSM����ӰƬ wasn’t even on my radar. However, the prospect of getting new works on their feet with two of my heroes was an absolute dream I couldn’t pass up. I decided to pursue my graduate studies at ��ƷSM����ӰƬ in the hopes of being able to participate in CU NOW. My educational dreams were realized after my first year at ��ƷSM����ӰƬ when I was cast in the CU NOW CFI Scenes program where I created three separate roles in fully-staged and costumed scenes written by composition students under the close mentorship of both Scheer and Tom Cipullo. Having worked directly with such industry greats was the opportunity of a lifetime—an opportunity that inspired me to commission works to raise awareness about homelessness in a project I'm currently working on with two of the composition students from CFI last summer. Truly, my experience with CU NOW has been a pinnacle of my music education as a whole and I hope that it serves as a template for other institutions to follow. The future of our art form depends on it.”
—Savannah Scott, student singer 2022

“Leigh Holman’s CU NOW is unique, not only for its format but also for its impact. The workshop combines some of the nation’s most important composers–including Jake Heggie, Mark Adamo, Lori Laitman and Kamala Sankaram–with the time and resources they need to craft and revise the next generation of operatic masterworks. As the guiding force behind every aspect of the workshop, Holman has made a major contribution to the field of contemporary American vocal music. In its scope and duration, as well as in the quality of its preparation and presentation, there is not another program like CU NOW in the nation. Those that love opera and wish to see it thrive in the 21st-century thank the stars for CU NOW and for Leigh Holman. Of course, when you work with young people, that’s extra special. The enthusiasm and energy that I get from them is a really great joy.”
—Tom Cipullo, composer of “Glory Denied” (2007) based on the true story of America’s longest-held prisoner of war. With over 20 productions, the piece is one of the most frequently performed operas of the 21st-century. 

“All sorts of possibilities emerge, but they can really only emerge when you actually see it on its feet.”
—Gene Scheer, composer, librettist and songwriter with multiple Grammy Award nominations. Frequent collaborator of Jake Heggie and other prominent creators including Wynton Marsalis and Jennifer Higdon. .  

“CU NOW is one of the great examples of how contemporary American opera has established its place in the operatic ecosystem. The opportunity for music students to work alongside living composers and librettists, and for those creators to hear their work performed live, is an invaluable combination. Houston Grand Opera has had two workshops with CU NOW, both of which were essential to the creative process for each opera. The work that the Eklund Opera Program has done to build a program of artistic excellence and exploration already has and will continue to enhance the world of opera and the musical lives of so many.” 
—Jeremy Johnson, Associate Director of New Works, Houston Grand Opera