Royce Vavrek

The Canadian-born, Brooklyn-based librettist and lyricist received the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Music for his opera Angel’s Bone, written with composer Du Yun. In addition to Proving Up (2018 world premiere, Washington National Opera), he has collaborated with composer Missy Mazzoli on Song from the Uproar (premiered by Beth Morrison Projects, subsequently seen nationwide) and Breaking the Waves (premiered by Opera Philadelphia, winner of 2017 Music Critics Association of North America’s award for Best New Opera, subsequently presented in a new production at the 2019 Edinburgh International Festival). Vavrek and Mazzoli are currently developing a grand opera for Opera Philadelphia and the Norwegian National Opera, as well as an adaptation of George Saunders’ novel Lincoln in the Bardo for The Metropolitan Opera. Vavrek has also collaborated with composers David T. Little (JFK, Fort Worth Opera world premiere, 2016; Dog Days, Peak Performances @ Montclair world premiere, 2012) and Ricky Ian Gordon (“27”, 2014 premiere, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis)