Kevin Puts Brings Back Highly Acclaimed Silent Night

Kevin Puts. (Photo by David White)

There is no stopping composer Kevin Puts, who gained a Pulitzer Prize for his very first opera, Silent Night. This busy musician has the re-staging of that famed opera, as well as many other projects up his sleeves.

During this performance season, Minnesota Opera, as well as 7 other opera companies, will perform Silent Night in the United States and England around the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. And, this November, there will be a recording of Silent Night at Minnesota Opera for commercial release.

Puts thinks that Silent Night has a particular meaning for war veterans and active military. He said it is rather amazing and thrilling that the companies are producing this opera and there will be a recording because he always thought it was too big and expensive to be produced anywhere. However, that is far from the case, as seen by its worldwide acclaim and eagerness for reproduction.

“To the companies who are doing Silent Night, I am deeply grateful for their belief in it and for their considerable efforts to bring it to stage,” he said.

Future projects

Besides being very busy with this opera’s re-staging, Puts is working on a highly anticipated, huge orchestral song cycle based on the letters between Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz, starring soprano Renée Fleming and baritone Rodney Gilfry. It's called The Brightness of Light and will go to a number of big venues beginning in July 2019. The piece will include a video component created by Wendall Harrington.

“There is also a big opera for the Met forthcoming,” Puts teased.

Puts may be very busy these days, but he does what he loves and trusts it, which is the advice he gives to other composers.

“I don't stress out about preparing for it. When I have time and the time is right, I just start at the beginning and let my ear guide me. I don't overthink things, and let my intuition tell me when it's right or when it's not right,” he said.

Visit Kevin Puts’s website to learn more about the artist.

A scene from Silent Night. (Photo by Michal Daniel)