New Works Collective Open Call Application
Help us re-imagine the future of opera!
The New Works Collective is a 18-month program for composers, librettists, and multidisciplinary creators to develop original, 20-minute chamber operas through a hands-on, collaborative process of workshops, mentorship, and public sharing. You’ll build your piece alongside performers and community partners, with support to create the materials you need and refine your work in real time. The journey culminates in a semi-staged presentation at Opera Theatre’s 2028 Festival Season, bringing your work to the stage in front of a live audience.
More about the New Works Collective:
First launched in 2023, the New Works Collective is an initiative designed to disrupt traditional commissioning models and expand how opera and music theater works are created, bringing together music, storytelling, and community in new and meaningful ways. The success of the New Works Collective pilot program (2023-2025) demonstrates the power of inviting new decision-makers into the commissioning process, amplifying underrepresented voices, and fostering a more welcoming art form.
The Collective is formed by a group of St. Louis community members working in partnership with OTSL staff. This collaborative structure between community members and staff ensures that new works are not only diverse in content, but authentically inclusive in process. Together, the Collective shapes an open call, reviews submissions, and selects three creative teams to develop commissioned works across a two-year development cycle.
Leadership support for the New Works Collective comes from the Edward Jones Foundation.
Application Deadline
September 25, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. CDT
Application Fee
None
Selection Timeline
November 20: semi-finalists notified
November 17-December 4: semi-finalist interviews
December 14-18: notify finalists and update all applicants on status
View more details
FAQs
View frequently asked questions
Other Inquiries
newworkscollective@opera-stl.org
Selection Process & Criteria
Artists are invited to submit applications through an open call. Applications are reviewed by members of the New Works Collective and OTSL staff. Three composer-writer teams are selected for each 18-month cycle.
Successful applicants will demonstrate:
- Excellence as demonstrated by samples of previous composition and/or writing, with a clear and developed artistic voice
- Curiosity about opera as a storytelling form
- A compelling story idea with potential to develop into a new, original 20-minute work. Stories that explore underrepresented voices on the operatic stage are encouraged.
- Openness to collaboration, experimentation, and feedback
- Interest in engaging with the St. Louis community as part of the creative process
- Commitment to an 18-month development cycle timeline, culminating in a semi-staged presentation in June 2028 in St. Louis, Missouri
- Work-authorized in the United States
Additional considerations:
- We welcome applicants from all geographic locations. The Collective aims to include artists with a connection to St. Louis and has a goal of selecting at least two teams with local ties.
- Unlike Opera Theatre’s previous New Works Collective cycles, Opera Theatre will not identify a creative partner for selected artists. Successful applicants will include teams with both a composer and writer, or individuals who wish to write both words and music. OTSL will provide access to mentors for all selected artists to offer guidance on dramaturgy, composition, and related areas.
- If your story idea is based on an adaptation of an existing work or a true story, you will need to demonstrate that the necessary rights and permissions can be secured.
Application Details
Deadline: September 25, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. CDT
Application fee: None
Materials Required:
- Completion of the application form, including a compelling project pitch or story outline. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Samples of previous writing (for librettists) and music compositions in recording and score format (for composers)
Applicants are encouraged to submit 5 – 7 days before the deadline to ensure materials are uploaded correctly and received by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. We are happy to assist with questions but may not be able to respond to all inquiries as the application deadline nears. For any questions, please email newworkscollective@opera-stl.org.
Compensation
Composer and librettist each receive $10,000 total ($5,000 per year), tied to contractual benchmarks.
For artists residing outside the St. Louis area, U.S. economy air travel, local transportation, and housing are provided for all required onsite residencies in St. Louis.
New Works Collective Schedule (2026–2028)
Each selected team will be required to participate in the following residencies; specific dates will be confirmed later. Onsite residencies will typically last 3-5 days.
- January 2027 – Orientation (remote)
- March 2027 – Residency 1 (onsite, St. Louis)
- June 2027 – Residency 2 (onsite, St. Louis)
- December 2027 – Residency 3 (onsite, St. Louis)
- March 2028 – Residency 4 (onsite, St. Louis)
- June 2028 – Residency 5 and final performance June 21 (onsite, in St. Louis)
- September 2028 – Reflection and evaluation (remote)
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the New Works Collective define opera?
Opera is an art form that utilizes the powerful combination of music and words to tell a story, creating an opportunity for audiences to share a collective experience. Work developed through the New Works Collective initiative may take a range of forms — including chamber operas, staged song cycles, or hybrid works.
How long will I have to create my opera?
Selected artists will develop new opera and/or music-theater works across the 18-month program. Projects will evolve through an iterative, process-driven approach that includes workshops, feedback, collaboration with community partners, and public sharing.
Selected artists will be supported in building the materials needed to realize their work — including a piano-vocal score and instrumental parts — and in navigating a collaborative process with performers, mentors, and community partners.
The program will culminate in a semi-staged performance featuring the work of all three creator teams during Opera Theatre’s 2028 Festival Season.
When would my new opera be performed?
Selected artists will have the opportunity to share their work publicly during multiple residencies across the 18-month cycle and are supported in building the materials needed to realize their work — including a piano-vocal score and instrumental parts — and in navigating a collaborative process with performers, mentors, and community partners.
The program will culminate in a semi-staged performance featuring the work of all three creator teams during Opera Theatre’s 2028 Festival Season.
How big or long can a New Works Collective opera be?
Projects are typically conceived at a flexible chamber scale, generally written for up to 6 singers and an instrumental ensemble of approximately 8–12 players, and will be approximately 20 minutes in length.
Do I need to have written an opera before to apply?
No — previous experience in opera is not required! We seek composers and writers who have developed their craft through study, practice, or professional experience, and welcome artists from all genres.
We are interested in artists with the ability to compose music for voices and instruments in service of a dramatic work, and who are curious about how music functions theatrically. They should be interested in experimenting with musical style, length, form, genre, and audience involvement.
Applicants should be open to feedback and iteration, and able to work collaboratively across disciplines. Applicants should demonstrate an understanding of the resources required to bring an opera and/or musical theater work to completion, including the creation of a piano-vocal score and instrumental parts, and the ability to engage with other professionals who can help them realize that work.
What kind of artistic support will I receive?
Projects will evolve through an iterative, process-driven approach that includes workshops, feedback, collaboration with community partners, and public sharing. Selected artists will be supported in building the materials needed to realize their work — including a piano-vocal score and instrumental parts — and in navigating a collaborative process with performers, mentors, and community partners.
Each creative team will also be paired with a group of mentors who will offer guidance across key areas of development, including composition, dramaturgy, vocal writing, and staging. Mentors are active participants throughout the residency, joining select workshops and providing feedback as projects evolve. This support is designed to meet each team where they are — whether refining early ideas, shaping larger structures, or preparing work for performance.
In addition to mentorship, creators will work closely with OTSL’s artistic, music, and production teams, as well as performers and community partners. Together, these collaborations provide a framework for developing new work in a way that is both rigorous and responsive.
May I submit more than one application?
Yes, artists may submit more than one application if they have multiple projects or are part of multiple creative teams.
What happens after I apply?
You should receive a confirmation email immediately following submission of your application. Please note that this confirmation may end up in your spam or junk mail folders. If you believe you have submitted but do not receive a confirmation email, please contact newworkscollective@opera-stl.org.
OTSL staff and Collective members will review all applications and select up to 10 applicants/teams as semifinalists. If selected as a semifinalist, you will be contacted by Opera Theatre to schedule an online interview with the Collective between November 17-December 4.
All applicants will be notified of their application status the week of December 14-18.
Have other questions not answered here?
Please contact us at newworkscollective@opera-stl.org and a member of our staff will get back to you as soon as possible. Responses may be delayed as we approach the application deadline.