A new opera

Composer Laura Kaminsky / Librettist Crystal Manich

Commissioned by Pittsburgh Opera, Boston Conservatory, Opera Montana, Opera Santa Barbara

Time to Act focuses on a group of adolescents preparing a production of Sophocles’ Antigone. A new student holds a dark secret that unifies the group and inspires a rewrite of the play, using their voices to address mental health and the impact of gun violence in American schools. Composer Laura Kaminsky and librettist Crystal Manich explore the long-term emotional impact of these intersecting crises on American youth. Pittsburgh Opera’s world premiere is set for February 2026. Subsequent productions include Boston Conservatory, Opera Santa Barbara, and Opera Montana.

Pittsburgh Opera received an OPERA America grant to support the commission as part of OPERA America’s Opera Grants for Women Composers program.