In her sophomore opera release, Tamar-kali pays homage to William Dorsey Swann, the first person known to dub himself a “queen of drag” and the first American on record to pursue legal and political action to defend the LGBTQ community's right to gather. In this imagining of the early 19th-century drag ball scene, impressionistic imagery and chamber composition depict an intimate evening at Swann's abode ahead of his detention and conviction in 1896 for "keeping a disorderly house."

About the Producers

Catapult is a community of artists, producers, business leaders, and opera lovers with a passion for the stage and a shared goal: creating high-quality, transformative, and lasting opera experiences. From our base in New York City, we collaborate with artists, musicians, and composers from across musical genres and throughout the world.

The Awards for Digital Excellence in Opera are supported by The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation.