The annual Composer-Librettist Laboratory (affectionately called the LibLab) is arguably our favourite time of year here at Tapestry. The air is electric with new creation and a new season is launched. A stellar crop of artists will participate in the 2010 LibLab this August and the resulting mini opera scenes will be presented in September for Opera Briefs, our annual season opener in the Ernest Balmer Studio at Tapestry. The 2010 LibLab participants are:

Writers
Maja Ardal
Hannah Moscovitch
Michael Pollard
Anusree Roy

Composers
Iman Habibi
Anna Höstman
Norbert Palej
Gareth Williams

Artist Pictured: Composer Gareth Williams in the 2009 International LibLab. Photo courtesy Marjorie Chan.

About the LibLab
For 15 years (!) Tapestry has been introducing writers and composers to the collaborative creation process with the annual LibLab, the beginning of the Tapestry Creative Development Programme and a launching point for operatic projects in Canada and beyond. It is also the model for the English National Opera Studio’s All In Opera, as well as Pacific Opera Victoria’s Composer-Librettist Workshop.

Here’s how it works: 4 composers and 4 writers are brought together for a 10-day period of collaborative discovery through the creation of sixteen 5-minute scenes, each of which are written, composed and performed within a 48 hour cycle that is repeated four times, enabling each writer to work with each composer. Guiding the composers and librettists throughout the process are dramaturg Michael P. Albano and musical dramaturg Wayne Strongman (Tapestry’s Managing Artistic Director). At the disposal of the creative teams for the 2010 LibLab will be some of Canada’s most respected performers, including soprano Carla Huhtanen, mezzo soprano Kimberly Barber, tenor Keith Klassen, baritone Peter McGillivray, as well collaborative pianist Christopher Foley.