We are thrilled to announce the premiere of a new studio demo from rising composer Blake Opper, featured in the online IBOC Opera Workshop and the IBOC New Opera Development Program under the guidance of IBOC Artistic Director and resident Composer João MacDowell.
This release, featuring mezzo-soprano Rachel Deatherage, is a milestone in the development of Blake Opper’s opera project, “Journals From the Wasteland: A Monodrama Set at the End of the World.”
Upcoming Opera Composition Workshops:
Rachael Deatherage – Mezzo Soprano
Rachel Deatherage is a captivating performer known for her rich, warm timbre and distinctive mezzo-soprano, ideal for bel canto singing. Critics have praised her “dark” and “powerful” voice (Art de Vivre) and its “sparkling coloratura” (The Stage), as well as her engaging personality and authentic stage presence (Oper in Österreich).
This summer, Rachel will make her company debut with Quisisana resort in Maine, reprising the role of Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus and performing in the resort’s seasonal concerts. In October, she delighted audiences with one of her favorite roles—Angelina in La Cenerentola—in her first production with Barn Opera in Vermont, under the baton of Cailin Marcel Manson.
Rachel made her European debut in 2022, singing the role of Cenerentola (Angelina) in Schloss Kirchstetten’s production of La Cenerentola, where she “triumphed with a velvety sound” (Die Press). She then reprised the role during her UK debut with Barefoot Opera’s touring production that same year.
Her 2023-2024 season was marked by versatility and resilience. She stepped in as Valentin in Verismo Opera’s Faust, performed as Judith in “The Limit of the Sun” and as Violin 2 in “The Morpheus Quartet” with West Edge Opera’s “Snapshot.” Rachel also concluded her UK tour as Angelina with Barefoot Opera and wrapped up the season with spring performances as Charlotte in The New York Opera Forum’s Werther.
Additionally, she starred in the “For the Love of Music” concert series in the California Bay Area, participated in the New York Composer Circle’s Concert, and featured in Barn Opera and Opera Vermont’s “Night at the Opera” series.
For more information on her work and behind-the-scenes updates:
visit her Instagram @Deatherageconfidential.
and her website: racheldeatheragemezzo.com
Journals From the Wasteland – A Glimpse Into the Opera
Set in a post-apocalyptic USA where environmental catastrophe has upended society, “Journals From the Wasteland” follows the life of Kathryn and her fraught relationship with her father. Living in the relative safety of rural Pennsylvania, Kathryn’s story unfolds through a series of reflective flashbacks—from her poignant adult reflections at her father’s funeral to the turbulent moments of her youth. One of the opera’s most compelling scenes is Scene 05: Aria – “I’ll Go to the City”, where a defiant, angry teenage Kathryn challenges her father’s overprotectiveness as she dreams of a life beyond the confines of their collapsing world.
Scene 05: Aria – “I’ll Go to the City”
The aria captures the raw emotions of youthful rebellion. In this powerful solo, mezzo-soprano Rachel Deatherage brings to life the voice of a young Kathryn who is caught between the safety of her past and the perilous allure of independence. With virtual orchestra programming crafted by Blake Opper himself, the performance blends modern technology with classical storytelling, underscoring the opera’s themes of liberation, familial tension, and the pursuit of identity.
YouTube Premiere:
– March 12, 2025, at 7 PM EST
Watch the video here:
Blake Opper – Composer
Blake Opper is a composer whose artistic journey began at the tender age of 11 as a saxophonist. With 17 years of performance experience under his belt and formal studies in both jazz and classical music, Blake has forged a unique path in the world of composition. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance at the New School in NYC and a Master’s in Concert Composition at NYU. Initially rooted in a jazz background, he has since refined his craft under the mentorship of celebrated classical composers like Joan LaBarbera, Michael Gordon, and Julia Wolfe.
Residing in Brooklyn, NY, Blake thrives in an environment that pulses with creativity and cultural diversity. Beyond composing, he is a versatile performer—playing the saxophone, clarinet, and flute—while also delighting audiences with his comedy in the local theater scene. His passion for blending different artistic disciplines and pushing creative boundaries is evident in every note he writes.
For more information on Blake Opper’s work and future projects, please visit his website at www.blakeopper.com
Behind the Lyrics
Blake Opper’s lyrics resonate with the defiant spirit of youth and the struggle for self-determination. The aria captures Kathryn’s internal battle, encapsulated in a monologue that reflects on the burdens of familial obligation and the desire for liberation:
I’ll Go to the City
I tend the house,
mend the fence,
clean the generator,
cook the meals,
wash the clothes,
and this is all the thanks he shows
and every day I live for him
so now I must do something for myself
not him.
Father, what I wouldn’t give to have you leave me alone
let me go and let me live a life out on my own.
Someone give me Liberation, not Suffocation
find another person that you can smother
I’m not my mother
All that I suffer through
while you sit in your chair.
Now there is a person who truly seems to care
you’re just jealous someone’s waiting to love me out there
you’re a broken image of dreams that haunt you
and God I want to
run to Jamie who takes care of me at night
because Jamie never let the small things sweat her
and she understands all of my problems
and the parents who constantly cause them
somehow everything is perfect with Jamie
I would rather beg for death
than spend one more minute here
I want to take a single breath without you in my ear
I don’t need you for protection
I need affection
Daddy, it’s your little girl
I’m begging, let me go.
I know what is haunting you
but I need space to grow
mother isn’t here and she left a long time ago
she made her decision, a bad decision,
but her decision.
And my Jamie never makes me feel this way
and my Jamie never makes me do the dishes
or take count of the cans in the basement
or take stock of the fuel in the basement
and take care of the turkeys and chickens and hens
although they’re delicious they’re also my friends
and you carved up and cooked all my friends.
You’re a vision of memories that haunt you
she’s a woman that does what she wants to
so I’ll go to the city
with Jammie
These lyrics highlight the personal stakes and dramatic tension that define the opera’s narrative.
Stay tuned for more updates on this project and other opportunities from the IBOC Opera Workshop and New Opera Development Program!