Gene Scheer

The American librettist previously collaborated with Joby Talbot on TDO’s world premiere of Everest. Scheer has worked on many projects with composer Jake Heggie, including the world premieres of Moby-Dick (TDO), Three Decembers and It’s a Wonderful Life (both at Houston Grand Opera), To Hell and Back (Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra), and Camille Claudel: Into the fire (song cycle premiered by Joyce DiDonato and the Alexander String Quartet). Scheer worked as librettist with Tobias Picker on An American Tragedy (Metropolitan Opera). With composer Steven Stucky, Scheer wrote the oratorio August 4, 1964, for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (Grammy nomination for Best Classical Composition, 2012). With Jennifer Higdon, Scheer wrote an operatic adaptation of Cold Mountain (premiered in 2015, winner of the International Opera Award, Grammy Award nominee for Best Classical Composition). A composer himself, Scheer has written songs for such distinguished singers as Renée Fleming, Sylvia McNair, Stephanie Blythe, Jennifer Larmore, Denyce Graves, and Nathan Gunn. The distinguished documentary filmmaker Ken Burns prominently featured Scheer’s song “American Anthem” (as sung by Norah Jones) in The War, his Emmy Award-winning World War II documentary for PBS.