Atlanta Opera’s 96-Hour Opera Project

So says Jessica Kiger, Director of Community Engagement & Education for The Atlanta Opera. Part of Kiger’s job is to shepherd the company’s 96-Hour Opera Project competition. Atlanta Opera’s 96-Hour Project aims to break new ground in the opera world in two ways: first, bringing in new voices and talents who are traditionally underrepresented in the traditional opera world; and secondly, to marshal the creativity of these artists to shakeup the classical opera canon.

Here, Jessica Kiger (JK) goes into further detail on the how and why of The 96-Hour Project came to be and where it is going, in a conversation with Picture This Post (PTP).

(PTP) What is the 96-Hour Project and how did it begin?

(JK) The 96-Hour Opera Project started in 2022 with a bold and simple idea: what would happen if we gave talented composers and librettists from underserved communities just four days—96 hours—to workshop, stage, and present a brand-new opera?

That tight timeframe became part of the challenge and the fun. But underneath the pressure-cooker format was a deeper mission to shake up the operatic canon and create space for new voices and new stories.

How has the 96-Hour Project (Festival) evolved in it’s relatively short history?

Over the years, the variety of themes the 96-Hour Opera Project has explored is indicative of its own ongoing development. The Atlanta Opera gives us the support to continue to refine and redefine the initiative for maximum impact and engagement.

The first year we were proud to partner directly with several local organizations in Atlanta, who each proposed their own theme and/or person for our finalists to explore. The following year, we opted to partner with the historic Oakland Cemetery, who suggested the stories of several of the most celebrated people buried there. We took a hard shift in our third year, driven by a fascination with the growing presence of AI in our everyday lives; we asked our finalists to dream of a future where culture, art, and tradition are preserved using AI, rather than threatened. This year, we decided to go back to opera’s thematic roots with a prompt about daring to love and be loved, even when the world may be against you.

What’s so interesting, though, is that no matter what themes we’ve chosen, what guidance we’ve given, our finalists always find ways to surprise us with their creativity. Over the past four years, it’s grown into something bigger. We now call it the 96-Hour Opera Festival because it’s become more than just the competition. The Festival includes developmental workshops, the competition and showcase, full productions of past winners’ work, and broader community engagement.

We’re especially excited about Steele Roots, premiering in June 2025, which was written by composer Dave Ragland and librettist Selda Sahin, winners of the 2023 showcase and competition. Their opera will honor the legacy of Carrie Steele Logan, a woman from Atlanta known for founding the first orphanage for Black children in the United States.

Steele Roots represents just one of the ways we aim to connect with our local community. Looking ahead, we’re dreaming of ways to continue deepening and expanding the project and how it can continue to reflect Atlanta’s history and spirit.

How do you do outreach for the competition to bring in “underrepresented” talents?

This is a question we actually ask ourselves every year. We are always looking to improve our outreach to potential finalists because that’s one of the main challenges with being in an "underserved" demographic; it can be more difficult to reach them via the channels we more typically use.

That said, we have built a robust list of contacts—faculty, community leaders, more established composers/librettists, etc.--to help us get the word out. Something that helps us greatly is the fact that we are now in our fourth year and still going strong.

There aren’t many programs that award commissions for new opera creators, and even fewer that provide consistent financial and logistical support throughout the development process like we do. That kind of track record has attracted a lot of organic interest, including some surprising (and thrilling) applications from well-established creators that we’ve unfortunately had to turn down in the past to ensure we focus our efforts on people who are newcomers to opera.

How have the finalists and winners of prior years’ competitions developed professionally?

It’s always exciting to see just how our finalists really thrive after working with us. One example is composer Nathan Felix and librettist Anita Gonzalez, who were part of our 2023 cohort. Although they did not ultimately win our grand prize, they have gone on to independently expand and workshop their opera about the celebrated African American photographer Thomas Askew, entitled Faces in the Flames. That kind of drive is emblematic of our finalists’ spirits, creativity, and love of storytelling.

How has the 96 Hour Festival incorporated opera world notables like Tazewell Thompson and Carlos Simon into the project?

Tazewell Thompson initially came into the project as a mentor during the earliest stages of Steele Roots’ development. We were so thrilled when he agreed to serve as the opera’s director; it’s been such a gift to have him involved. His perspective as a director, playwright, and opera-maker added incredible depth to the creative process, especially for artists working under such tight time constraints.

We’ve also been lucky to work with opera luminaries like bass Morris Robinson, who serves as Artistic Advisor for The Atlanta Opera. These mentors don’t just lend credibility; they provide real, hands-on support that helps our emerging artists grow.

Our winning team from last year will be mentored by Priti Gandhi, who has been so generous as to share her knowledge with our finalists by serving on our judges’ panel for three of 96-Hour Opera Project’s four years.

What do you hope audiences take away from seeing the competition?

While our primary mission is to support emerging opera-makers, we definitely think about the audience. These aren’t polished, traditional operas—and that’s the point. They’re fresh, immediate, often surprising. We hope people come away thinking, “I didn’t know opera could do that.”

And maybe more importantly, we hope audiences walk out feeling connected—to the stories, to the city, to the artists. Opera can be intimidating or elitist for some folks. We want to break that down. This festival is about access, creativity, and bold new voices. Everyone belongs. Everyone deserves to see and hear stories that are meaningful to them onstage.

All photos courtesy of The Atlanta Opera.

Atlanta Opera’s 96-Hour Opera Project – Interview with Jessica Kiger

“…These aren’t polished, traditional operas—and that’s the point. They’re fresh, immediate, often surprising. We hope people come away thinking, ‘I didn’t know opera could do that..."

(PTP) What is the 96-Hour Project and how did it begin?

How has the 96-Hour Project (Festival) evolved in it’s relatively short history?

How do you do outreach for the competition to bring in “underrepresented” talents?

How have the finalists and winners of prior years’ competitions developed professionally?

How has the 96 Hour Festival incorporated opera world notables like Tazewell Thompson and Carlos Simon into the project?

What do you hope audiences take away from seeing the competition?

Click here to read more Picture This Post Atlanta Opera stories.

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