About the Work
Music for New Bodies is a 70-minute, large-scale staged vocal work by acclaimed composer Matt Aucoin, with staging by legendary director Peter Sellars, based on poetry by Pulitzer Prize-winner Jorie Graham. Premiered in 2024, this one-act opera features five singers, 18-piece chamber orchestra, lighting, and electronics. This performance is a Co-Presentation from ensembleNEWSRQ and Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, in collaboration with American Modern Opera Company (AMOC*).
Performance Details
- Venue: Sarasota Opera House
- Tentative Date: May 22nd, 2026
- Occasion: Closing performance of ensembleNEWSRQ's 10th Anniversary Season
- Invitation to Partner: ensembleNEWSRQ invites you to become a title sponsor of this landmark performance. This joint presentation from two of Sarasota’s leading cultural organizations brings world-class contemporary opera to our community, an artistic form that is not currently offered in Sarasota.
Sponsorship Partnership Benefits
- Access to additional offerings from AMOC* and enSRQ Artists Artist
- Talks with Aucoin & Sellars
- VIP seating
- Exclusive Artist Experiences: receptions, meet & greets, dinners
This is a rare opportunity to sponsor a visionary new work by two of the most influential artists of our time, featuring an extraordinary cast of performers and celebrating a decade of innovation in Sarasota’s music scene.
Key Artists
- Directed by Peter Sellars (in-person)
- Composition and musical direction by Matt Aucoin (in-person)
- Conducted by George Nickson
- Featuring artists from AMOC*, ensembleNEWSRQ, and Artist Series Concerts
- Star performers: Davóne Tines, Julia Bullock, Conor Hanick
Biographies
Matt Aucoin (b. 1990) is an American composer, conductor, pianist, and writer known for his innovative contributions to contemporary classical music and opera. A Harvard graduate and a MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, Aucoin gained early recognition for his operas, including Crossing (2015), inspired by Walt Whitman, and Eurydice (2020), based on the play by Sarah Ruhl and premiered at the Metropolitan Opera. He has served as artist-in-residence at Los Angeles Opera and co-founded the American Modern Opera Company (AMOC). In addition to his compositional work, Aucoin is an accomplished conductor and writer, publishing essays on music and a critically acclaimed book, The Impossible Art: Adventures in Opera (2021).
Peter Sellars (b. 1957) is an American opera and theater director known for his bold, contemporary interpretations of classical works and his collaborations with living composers. A graduate of Harvard University, he rose to prominence in the 1980s with provocative stagings of operas by Mozart, Handel, and others, often placing them in modern, politically charged settings. Sellars is closely associated with composers such as John Adams (Nixon in China, Doctor Atomic, The Gospel According to the Other Mary) and Kaija Saariaho (L’ Amour de Loin), frequently directing the premieres of their operas. He is acclaimed for integrating social and political themes into his work, pushing the boundaries of traditional opera.
Jorie Graham (b. 1950) is an acclaimed American poet known for her intellectually rich, formally innovative poetry that explores consciousness, history, and the human condition. Born in New York City and raised in Rome, she studied at the Sorbonne and later at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Graham is the author of numerous poetry collections, including The Dream of the Unified Field, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1996. Her work is noted for its shifting forms, philosophical depth, and engagement with pressing global and existential issues. Graham has taught at Harvard University for many years and is considered one of the most influential poets of her generation. Founded in 2015 by Samantha Bennett and George Nickson, ensembleNEWSRQ is Sarasota’s only ensemble dedicated exclusively to the work of living composers. In just under a decade, they have presented over 230 works, including 16 commissions, 14 world premieres, and more than 125 Florida premieres. Their mission is not just to perform contemporary music, but to cultivate an environment where curiosity, innovation, and new voices thrive.
Davóne Tines (b. 1986) is an American bass-baritone celebrated for his powerful voice, commanding stage presence, and genre-defying performances. A graduate of Harvard University and The Juilliard School, Tines is known for his work in both traditional opera and contemporary music, often performing in projects that explore race, identity, and spirituality. He has premiered works by leading composers such as John Adams, Kaija Saariaho, and Matthew Aucoin, and co-created genre-blending performances like The Black Clown and Recital No. 1: Mass. Tines is also a founding core member of the American Modern Opera Company (AMOC) and is widely regarded as a transformative force in 21st-century vocal performance.
Julia Bullock (b. 1987) is an American soprano acclaimed for her expressive voice, deep musical intelligence, and commitment to social justice through art. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Bard College, and The Juilliard School, Bullock has become a leading figure in both opera and concert performance, noted for her wide-ranging repertoire from classical to contemporary works. She has starred in productions at major opera houses worldwide and is known for curating powerful programs that highlight the voices of marginalized composers and stories. Bullock was the 2018–19 artist-in-residence at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and a founding core member of the American Modern Opera Company (AMOC).
Conor Hanick is an American pianist renowned for his virtuosic interpretations of contemporary music and his collaborations with leading living composers. A graduate of Northwestern University and The Juilliard School, Hanick is especially known for championing new works and has premiered compositions by artists such as Caroline Shaw, Matthew Aucoin, Nico Muhly, and Hans Abrahamsen. In addition to solo performances, Hanick is an in-demand chamber musician and educator, and a core member of the American Modern Opera Company (AMOC) and a member of ensembleNEWSRQ. His playing is praised for its clarity, emotional depth, and technical brilliance.