Lawrence Opera Theatre, Kristin Roach honored by The American Prize

Lawrence University’s Opera Theatre program has once again been honored by The American Prize, an organization that annually recognizes excellence in the performing arts among nonprofit arts organizations and schools across the country. 

Kristin Roach, assistant professor of opera, was named a prizewinner in two categories in Opera Conducting. She received second prize in the University/Community Opera division for her work on Pauline Viardot’s Cendrillon at Lawrence University; she also received third prize in the Professional Division for Jake Heggie’s Two Remain at Lyric Opera of Orange County.

Roach credits the entire team for the recognition.

“Any recognition of one member of an opera production belongs to the whole team,” said Roach. “More than 100 Lawrentians worked on our production of one-act operas, onstage and backstage and in the pit and behind the scenes.” 

The 2024 production of Cendrillon at Lawrence was paired with Alice Tierney, a piece by Melissa Dunphy and Jacqueline Goldfinger, to celebrate the contributions of women in the opera world. 

“We are always sharing resources between the two shows and really trying to present both these operas written by women,” Roach said. “Trying to bring forward creators who might be underrepresented in the opera field is at the forefront of the opera program’s mission.”

Meanwhile, Two Remain is based on the true stories of two Holocaust survivors, Krystyna Zywulska and Gad Beck.

Roach said one of the most powerful aspects of the theater is its ability to keep history alive by wrestling with challenging themes and stories.

“It’s so important that we continue to tell these stories through works in the theater,” Roach said. “It’s important that we don’t lose the narrative, the truth behind what happened. Part of why we’ve chosen to perform an excerpt of this work at LU this coming year is that our students are able to tell these important stories, keeping history alive and in the forefront.”

The Lawrence Opera Theatre program plans to perform a portion of Two Remain in their fall scenes program this year.

Looking ahead, Roach is excited by the upcoming season, which includes the world premiere of a new opera, A Nearer Mother, by composer Evan Mack and librettist Joshua McGuire. The piece was commissioned by Copeland Woodruff, director of opera studies at Lawrence, and the Lawrence Opera Theatre program. For the past three years, Woodruff has worked closely with the creative team to bring the opera to life.

A Nearer Mother explores the story of AIDS activist Ruth Coker Burks, known as the “Cemetery Angel,” and her daughter Allison. Burks and her daughter will be in attendance at the March 2026 performance, which will be paired with the one-act opera A Clever Artifice of Harriet and Margaret, by composer Leanna Kirchhoff. 

“I am so excited about doing a brand-new piece; we will be working hand-in-hand with the creators of these works,” Roach said. “Working on this opera will continue to tell the story of the many important, wonderful people that we lost in the early years of the AIDS epidemic.” 

These latest honors are a testament to the talent and commitment of Lawrence Opera Theatre. Lawrence has received 11 awards in The American Prize, including two special judges’ citations and two productions tied for first place. Roach has won the prize in Conducting, College/University division, for Suor Angelica and the prize in Conducting both in Professional and College/University divisions. Woodruff has won the Charles Nelson Reilly Prize in Directing and was the first stage director to be given The Independence Day, Honored Artists Award for Sustained Excellence. Lawrence is also in the National Finals of The American Prize for Best Production for Cendrillon/Alice Tierney, and Copeland Woodruff is once again up for the Charles Nelson Reilly Prize in Directing. 

Save the dates for this season’s performances: