Works & Process will present a preview of the new opera Of One Blood in New York City on Oct. 26, offering audiences an early look at the work ahead of its planned American premiere at the Santa Fe Opera in 2027.
The program, scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Peter B. Lewis Theater, will feature musical excerpts from the opera along with a discussion involving composer Brett Dean and librettist Heather Betts. Tickets for the event start at $15.
Of One Blood is a co-commission and co-production involving the Santa Fe Opera and explores the turbulent relationship between Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. The opera draws directly from historical material associated with the two monarchs, including their letters, poems and speeches.
Opera Explores the Rivalry Between Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots
Although Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots were cousins and major political figures of the same era, they never met in person. Their lives nevertheless became closely connected through political rivalry, religious conflict and competing claims to power.
The two women are now buried near one another in Westminster Abbey, a historical connection reflected in the opera’s title. The production examines how their intertwined reigns developed into a struggle that ultimately ended with Mary’s execution in 1587 under Elizabeth’s authority.
Dean and Betts have built the opera around the words of the queens themselves rather than relying solely on a modern retelling of their lives. By drawing from letters, poetry and speeches, the creators seek to explore the personalities and political pressures surrounding two of the most recognizable figures of 16th-century European history.
The New York presentation will provide audiences with an opportunity to hear selections from the work while also learning how the creators transformed historical documents into an operatic narrative.
New York Event Offers Preview Ahead of 2027 Santa Fe Premiere
The Oct. 26 program will take place at the Peter B. Lewis Theater at 1071 Fifth Avenue in New York. The venue is part of the Guggenheim Museum and regularly hosts Works & Process programs combining performance with conversations involving artists and creative teams.
During the event, Dean and Betts are expected to discuss the development of Of One Blood, including the process of shaping the queens’ surviving words into music and drama. Arias from the opera will also be performed, giving attendees a preview before the full production reaches the stage.
The presentation comes as the Santa Fe Opera prepares for the work’s American premiere in 2027. The advance event provides a window into the development of a new opera well before audiences see the completed production in New Mexico.
Works & Process has built its programming around this type of access, presenting artists and works while they are still developing and pairing performances with discussions about the creative process. The format allows audiences to hear directly from composers, writers, choreographers and other creators about how major productions take shape.
Following the musical excerpts and discussion, attendees will be invited to continue the conversation during a reception in the rotunda.
Historical Source Material Shapes ‘Of One Blood’
The decision to use the queens’ own writings gives Of One Blood a documentary foundation while allowing Dean and Betts to interpret the emotional and political dimensions of their rivalry through opera.
Elizabeth and Mary remain enduring subjects in literature, theater, film and historical scholarship, in part because their relationship brought together questions of monarchy, religion, succession and political survival. Their story also presents an unusual historical dynamic: two rulers whose lives were deeply intertwined despite never meeting face to face.
The Works & Process presentation will offer one of the earliest opportunities for New York audiences to experience how that history has been adapted for the operatic stage.
With excerpts, discussion and direct participation from Dean and Betts, the Oct. 26 event will serve as an advance introduction to Of One Blood before the opera moves toward its American premiere at the Santa Fe Opera in 2027.
