Opera is in Mandy Fang鈥檚 family. Her father, sister and brother-in-law are all professional opera singers, but Fang has stayed on the composition side of the centuries-old art. She recently completed her first opera, funded by a Guggenheim Fellowship, and is now among eight women chosen by Opera America to receive a $12,500 grant to bring her production to the stage.
鈥淔or me, it is very natural to love opera and to write for the opera,鈥� said Fang, a research assistant professor in 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒鈥檚 School of Music.
The grant, funded by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, was created in order to support and increase the number of operas produced by women in the United States. Over 25 years, Opera America has awarded almost $13 million in support of new operas, but fewer than five percent of the pieces supported by that money were written by female composers.
鈥淏ecause I have had music history classes, I could name you three female composers, but if you went up to someone on the street … they probably couldn鈥檛 come up with one,鈥� said Laura Lee Everett, Opera America鈥檚 artistic services director.
The eight grants worth $100,000 in total will help fund projects, including an adaptation of 鈥淎 Thousand Splendid Suns,鈥� a novel about women in contemporary Afghanistan and a production that tells the story of the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. One hundred fourteen women applied for the grants; choosing the eight recipients was a big undertaking, Everett said.
鈥淚t was a gigantic volume of applicants,鈥� she said. 鈥淭o narrow it down and select the eight that we did was an amazing process.鈥�
Fang鈥檚 opera, 鈥淭he Golden Lily,鈥� is based on 鈥淛in Ping Mei,鈥� a Chinese novel that had been banned in the country for centuries. The opera features three female leads, furthering the focus on women in opera.
Fang鈥檚 composition style made her stand out to Opera America鈥檚 adjudication panel, Everett said.
鈥淗er work was really exceptional in terms of being creative,鈥� Everett said. 鈥淗er style was unique and well-written for the voice, which is a huge component.鈥�
Much of Fang鈥檚 earlier work is for instrumental ensembles, and 鈥淭he Golden Lily鈥� is only her second full composition for voice. Writing for the voice presents more challenges than writing for instruments and instrumental ensembles, Fang said.
鈥淔or instruments, it鈥檚 in a way easier than voice. Voice has a certain range and, although it is the most natural instrument, there are certain limits,鈥� Fang said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 make the voice jump around like an instrument can. You also have to make it stand out from the other instruments.鈥�
Her first major vocal composition was 鈥淩aspberry Pink,鈥� a song cycle for soprano, baritone and piano. She premiered the 45-minute composition, which also features an actor, in April 2013.
鈥淪ince I have that, it鈥檚 helped me to gain the confidence to work more (with vocal music) and include more drama,鈥� Fang said. 鈥淥pera is not just voice; it is theater and drama.鈥�
The first production of 鈥淭he Golden Lily鈥� is planned for the 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 stage within two years, Fang said. It was the director of Opera at 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒, Ellen Schlaefer, who encouraged Fang to apply for the grant.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 sure I should apply until the very last minute, but I鈥檓 glad I did,鈥� Fang said. 鈥淣ow [Schlaefer] is directing the opera. It鈥檚 really wonderful to work with her.鈥�