With 'Penny,' WNO shows merits of American Opera Initiative

I'm all for supporting new opera, but why put limits on it? This has been, to date, my biggest question about the Washington National Opera's American Opera Initiative. Now in its third year, the initiative commissions young composers to write 20-minute operas, and then hour-long operas, with mentoring and workshops along the way. But does writing a 20-minute opera really prepare you to create a satisfying, hour-long opera?