Sarasota Opera has received an $8,000 grant for the commissioning of composer Rachel J. Peters for the creation of Rootabaga Country, Sarasota Youth Opera’s sixth world premiere, scheduled to be performed on November 11 and 12, 2017. The grant is provided byO PERA America’s Opera Grants for Female Composers program, supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. OPERA America’s Opera Grants for Female Composers program provides financial assistance to identify, support and help develop the work of female composers writing for the operatic medium, raising their visibility and promoting awareness of their compositions to the field. After a nationwide search, Sarasota Opera commissioned composer/librettist Rachel J. Peters to compose Sarasota Youth Opera’s next world premiere. Peter’s opera, Rootabaga Country, was selected over 12 other submissions. This will be the sixth opera commissioned by the Sarasota Youth Opera program with the most recent being Little Nemo in Slumberland in 2012.

Sarasota Opera