The American Academy of Arts and Letters has awarded composer Laura Schwendinger and librettist Ginger Strand, the prestigious Charles Ives Opera Prize for “Artemisia”, their opera based on the life of 17th-century Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi. “Artemesia” was premiered by the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble in 2019 and received an Opera America Discovery Grant.
The winner was chosen by a jury comprised of members John Harbison (chair), Anthony Davis, Tania León, Tobias Picker, and Shulamit Ran. The awards, which will be given at the annual Ceremonial in May, “reflect the essential mission of the Academy to recognize, identify, and reward works of highest aspiration and superior craft by contemporary artists in our culture,” said Yehudi Wyner, a composer member and former president of the Academy.
Congratulations to Ms. Schwendinger and Ms. Strand!
Explore Laura Schwendinger’s works in the Hildegard catalog.
