projects

Ariadne in Naxos. Photo by Karli Cadel for The Glimmerglass Festival.

LIBRETTI

AND STILL WE DREAM (LAURA KARPMAN)

Lyric Opera of Kansas City, 2020

A dramatic song cycle inspired by the lives and writings of two very different women with a common cause. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a wife and mother of seven, espoused radical ideas, brilliantly argued in prolific writings. Stanton found a perfect partner in Susan B. Anthony, a single woman who had the temperament – and freedom from domestic responsibilities – to organize a national movement. “The angles were fresh, the detail sharply observed, many of the issues involving juggling motherhood and a professional vocation still pertinent, but also an authentic recreation of debates in the early 1900s – about modesty for instance, and sewing (they weren’t fans, to say the least). It was moving to see the whole company and the musicians join in for the lines ‘And still we dream.’” (OperaWire) Watch the documentary.

THE BEEKEEPER (WANG LU)

Chicago Opera Theater, 2022

Noah and Phoebe leave the city when he inherits his grandparents’ orchard. The young couple dreams of the life they will create together, but they are unprepared for what lies ahead. In addition to the never-ending demands of the house and the land, Noah is haunted by memories of his last visit to the orchard, many years ago.

EAT THE DOCUMENT (JOHN GLOVER)

PROTOTYPE Festival, 2025

Based on Dana Spiotta’s novel about a fugitive radical from the 1970s who has lived in hiding for twenty-five years, Eat the Document is a story of activism, sacrifice, and the cost of living a secret. Shifting between the protests in the 1970s and the consequences of those choices in the 1990s, this work explores the connection between the two eras — their language, technology, music, and activism. Recipient of a 2021 commissioning grant from the New York State Council on the Arts; development support from Milwaukee Opera Theater and American Opera Projects; and a 2024 residency at Baryshnikov Arts Center. Listen to excerpts.

THE EMISSARY (KENJI OH)

Opera Parallèle, 2023

Based on Yoko Tawada’s luminous novel, The Emissary tells the story of a young boy and his great-grandfather navigating daily life in the wake of a disaster that has rewritten the laws of nature.

JUNGLE BOOK (KAMALA SANKARAM)

The Glimmerglass Festival, 2022 | Seattle Opera, 2023 | Washington National Opera, 2024

When Mowgli seeks refuge among the wolves, the pack must decide whether they will provide shelter to the “human cub.” This youth opera, commissioned by The Glimmerglass Festival, will draw on both European and Indian classical music traditions, not only to create a sense of place within the opera, but also to offer young performers a greater sense of the world and the commonalities shared between cultures. Catch a glimpse of Bagheera’s aria.

LUCY (JOHN GLOVER)

A chamber opera inspired by the true story of a psychotherapist who raised a chimpanzee daughter. "It’s a resonant story, with a (not surprisingly) tragic end, and Lucy...tells it beautifully in ways that keep the big questions—and poignant emotions—front and center" (MilwaukeeMag). "Lucy the chimpanzee's life makes for compelling art" (Washington Post). "That such an unusual story should end up being so moving is a compliment to everyone involved" (Textura). Listen to the complete opera.

NATURAL SYSTEMS (JOHN GLOVER)

New York Youth Symphony at Carnegie Hall, 2013 | San Francisco Conservatory's BluePrint Series (chamber version), 2014

A dramatic song cycle inspired by the life and work of Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist. “Mr. Glover’s vivid score ranges from energetic swirls to a gentle, enigmatic conclusion as the protagonist muses about his boyhood: 'And so I learned to hold names in my head, long after the flower had collapsed in my sweaty grasp'” (New York Times).

ODYSSEY (BEN MOORE)

A youth opera based on Homer’s epic. “… with an ebullient, lyrical score by Ben Moore and a witty, tightly-rhymed libretto by Kelley Rourke, [Odyssey] is more than just an opera for young audiences. In fact, it’s an opera for all ages…Rourke’s winking libretto includes plenty of clever rhymes and wordplay and manages to be hip without trying too hard” (Opera News). Watch the trailer.

RIGHT NOW (JOHN GLOVER)

American Composers Orchestra at Zankel Hall (2024)

A dramatic song cycle for Chrystal E. Williams, mezzo-soprano; Felipe Hostins, accordion; and chamber orchestra. Recipient of a 2024 commissioning grant from the New York State Council on the Arts.

ROBIN HOOD (BEN MOORE)

When the law of the land is corrupt, what’s an honest citizen to do? In the absence of the King, the Sheriff has seized the country’s assets for himself and his cronies. Robin Hood is the unlikely leader of a band of ordinary folks doing their best to survive in the forest until just rule returns to the land. Watch the trailer.

STAY (JOHN GLOVER)

Commissioned by On Site Opera. 2020 premiere postponed due to COVID.

In this immersive opera, a series of half-remembered stories draws a group of strangers to an abandoned house, where the stories soon take on a life of their own.

WILDE TALES (LAURA KARPMAN)

The Glimmerglass Festival, 2016 | Seattle Opera, 2020

"'Wilde Tales,' by composer Laura Karpman and librettist Kelley Rourke, a charming mashup of Oscar Wilde’s stories 'The Happy Prince' and 'The Remarkable Rocket,' was sophisticated yet tailored to the talents of its performers." (Wall Street Journal)

SINGING TRANSLATIONS/ADAPTATIONS

ARIADNE IN NAXOS (RICHARD STRAUSS)

The Glimmerglass Festival, 2014 | Festival Opera, 2015 | Austin Opera, 2018 | Cincinnati Opera, 2019 | Steamboat Opera, 2020

A bilingual adaptation for a production by Francesca Zambello, set in modern-day upstate New York. "Kelley Rourke’s contemporary English translation for the Prologue and comic scenes, with references to things such as production standards on the Jersey Shore, adds to the high spirits." (Financial Times) “Thanks to a witty and idiomatic English translation and adaptation by Kelley Rourke, the dialogue is wonderfully funny and accessible.” (Cincinnati CityBeat)

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE (GIOACHINO ROSSINI)

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, 2015, 2024 | Welsh National Opera, 2016

"A new English translation by Kelly Rourke, combined with some inspired stage direction by Michael Shell and the spirited conducting of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra by Ryan McAdams, makes this Barber a fresh, razor-sharp interpretation...Rourke’s new translation was commissioned by OTSL for its 40th anniversary, and the result is smart, savvy, silly and successful." (Ladue News) “I’ve genuinely never heard an audience laughing so much in an opera buffa. Kelley Rourke’s brisk and irreverent new English translation had a lot to do with that." (Birmingham Mail)

COSÌ FAN TUTTE: REMIX (WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART)

Florentine Opera, 2023

A contemporary take on Mozart and Da Ponte’s opera, Così: REMIX examines and exposes all manner of gender stereotypes. This 75-minute English adaptation includes highlights from the original opera, set into a new book that upends the classic - and controversial - battle of the sexes.

THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN (LEOS JANÁČEK)

The Glimmerglass Festival, 2018 | Boston University, 2019

A new production by Loren Meeker for The Glimmerglass Festival. "The opera was sung in a new English translation by Kelly Rourke. Her work was just as fluent and economical as the music." (Albany Times Union)

THE DEAD CITY (KORNGOLD)

English National Opera, 2023

A new production of Korngold’s surreal meditation on grief, performed in “…Kelley Rourke’s idiomatic translation in impeccable English.” (The Guardian)

THE ELIXIR OF LOVE (GAETANO DONIZETTI)

English National Opera, 2010, 2011 | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, 2014 | Scottish Opera, 2016

A free adaptation for Sir Jonathan Miller's production, set in the American midwest in the 1950s. "What really counts is that The Elixir of Love is charming and funny - and Miller's self-evident affection for the territory and the period (I know, he's been there before) ensures that it is. Much of the credit...should go to Kelley Rourke's crackingly witty translation. For sure, it takes as many liberties as it fires off rhyming couplets but it does so with irresistible silliness." (The Independent) “We hardly miss Donizetti’s Italian, because Kelley Rourke’s Americanised translation of The Elixir of Love communicates vividly without mashing the music.” (Financial Times)

THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST (GIACOMO PUCCINI)

English National Opera, 2014) | Apotheosis Opera (NYC), 2016

"How brilliantly, too, Kelley Rourke’s English translation brings the Wild West to life. It is almost like having John Wayne and Gary Cooper on stage." (Financial Times)

GUNS N' ROSENKAVALIER (VARIOUS)

New English lyrics for songs by Schumann, Schubert, Strauss and other dead composers, performed alongside and in combination with songs by Kate Bush, Pat Benatar, Gnarls Barkley and more. Arrangements by John Glover and Andrew Wilkowske.

HANSEL AND GRETEL (ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK)

Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 2023, 2024

A holiday presentation for modern sensibilities, Antony McDonald’s production is both whimsical and dark. “Kelley Rourke’s excellent English translation brings immediacy and there is a strong ensemble feel to the whole thing.” (The Guardian)

KING FOR A DAY (GIUSEPPE VERDI)

The Glimmerglass Festival, 2013

An early, neglected comedy by Verdi in a colorful production by Christian Rath. "Prudently trimmed, the work emerges as a Rossinian lark with a handful of limpid arias that aspire to Donizetti. Ms. Rourke’s clever, quirky libretto, easy to follow and hard to resist, tidies up some of the original opera’s messy bits." (The New York Times)

MACBETH AND THE WEÏRD SISTERS (GIUSEPPE VERDI)

in development at Theater Latte Da (Minneapolis)

Singer/guitarist Andrew Wilkowske and librettist Kelley Rourke take on the tragic story of ambition, reimagining the score for a rock band, replacing classical strings with electric guitars and envisioning Macbeth as the front man/lead singer of “Macbeth and the Weïrd Sisters,” a 70’s and 80’s-style arena rock band.

THE SECRET GARDENER (WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART)

On Site Opera at West Side Community Garden, NYC, 2017 and Caramoor, 2018 | The Atlanta Opera at Atlanta Botanical Gardens, 2017 | Binghamton University, 2020

"Rourke’s version is a total romp — pure springtime entertainment" (ArtsATL). "Kelley Rourke’s clever English translation...boiled the work down to its essence" (Wall Street Journal).

SONGBIRD (JACQUES OFFENBACH)

The Glimmerglass Festival, 2021 | Florentine Opera, 2024 | Washington National Opera, 2024

A bilingual adaptation of Offenbach’s La Périchole that moves the comedy’s action to New Orleans, with new musical arrangement and orchestration by James Lowe in the style of 1920s jazz bands. “Ms. Rourke’s snappy new English dialogue deftly relocates and streamlines the story, and her lyrics, a skillful fusion of English and French, not to the original while—like the musical arrangement—making something completely new” (Wall Street Journal).

THE MAGIC FLUTE (4) (WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART)

The Glimmerglass Festival, 2015 | Southern Methodist University, 2016

A journey of discovery in a woodland setting. "All this well-meaning thematization could have been deadly in lesser hands, further weighing down Mozart’s magical score, already burdened with philosophical notions stemming from Freemasonry. Instead, it was itself magical. With the goals of the spiritual trials now being self-discovery, self-possession and self-sufficiency, most of the pseudo-religious mystical baggage simply fell away...This is Ms. Rourke’s fourth English translation of “The Magic Flute,” and while I can’t speak for the others, it is a winner: colloquial and entertaining in spoken passages, and remarkably well wedded to the music and versification in arias." (The New York Times)

THE MAGIC FLUTE (3) (WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART)

Washington National Opera, 2014

A contemporary rewrite for a production dominated by the abstract, fanciful designs of Jun Kaneko. "They were aided by an English translation of the libretto by the company’s dramaturge, Kelley Rourke, that often had the audience laughing at actual jokes rather than the hoary gag lines so common in opera 'updatings.'" (The Washington Post)

THE MAGIC FLUTE (2) (WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART)

Boston Lyric Opera, 2013

A classic initiation story that plays out against the backdrop of Mayan, rather than Masonic cosmology, in a production conceived by Leon Major and John Conklin. "Mozart’s opera sounds incredibly fresh in this ingenious reimagining, delivering its potent mix of jovial humor and nuggets of wisdom with a renewed vitality, and a surprising up-to-date relevance." (MIT's The Tech)

PAGLIACCI (RUGGERO LEONCAVALLO)

The In Series, Washington, DC, 2010

An English & Italian version of the opera by Ruggero Leoncavallo, set in modern-day Little Italy.

THE QUEEN OF SPADES (PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY)

The Glimmerglass Festival, 2019

A compact version of Tchaikovsky's thriller, based on the novel by Pushkin. Directed by Francesca Zambello. “Kelley Rourke has effectively condensed Pushkin’s story by taking the most indispensible musical highlights in the tuneful score, shedding the chorus and extraneous plot twists, and distilling the whole into 70 cogent minutes of considerable pleasure. Ms. Rourke has also crafted a quite poetic, very singable translation of utmost clarity.” (Opera Today)

TOSCA (GIACOMO PUCCINI)

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, 2023

THE WITTY SQUIRREL (NINO ROTA)

Calgary Opera, 2024

OFFSTAGE

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