On Saturday May 30, EtM Con Edison Composer-in-Residence Christopher Cerrone gave a fascinating talk on the genesis of his opera, Invisible Cities. This opera, based on the novel by Italian author Italo Calvino, premiered in Los Angeles last fall, and was a finalist for this year’s Pulitzer Prize for music.

Cerrone, who was in residence for 2013-14 at Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy, talked about the early stages of the opera, his collaboration with director Yuval Sharon, the production’s wildly inventive staging in Los Angeles’ Union Station, and its reception by Los Angeles audiences. He showed excerpts from the KCET documentary on the production, discussed his influences and spoke of his obsession for the Calvino work.

Don’t forget – we’re now taking applications for the 2014-15 round of the EtM Con Edison Composers’ Residency.  Deadline is June 30.