Cracking Open the Creative Process
Twenty years ago, I founded American Lyric Theater (ALT) with the goal of providing emerging opera writers with the training and resources to develop the unique skills necessary to write opera, and to provide a safe space for them to experiment and develop new works for the opera stage.
Lawrence Edelson working with composer Justine F. Chen during a workshop of THE LIFE AND DEATH(S) OF ALAN TURING at American Lyric Theater
Audiences at Chicago Opera Theater have recently enjoyed the results of ALT’s new works development process, with the world premieres of The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing by Justine F. Chen and David Simpatico, and She Who Dared by Jasmine Arielle Barnes and Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton. While these operas are quite different, they share a few things in common: their creators trained intensively through ALT’s Composer Librettist Development Program before being commissioned to write a full-length opera; and throughout the development process, they were supported with customized mentorship designed to help them achieve their artistic goals.
A key part of that process is workshopping—something most companies keep behind closed doors. From the earliest libretto drafts to piano-vocal scores and finally the full orchestral score, hearing a work come to life off the page at every stage of development is both exhilarating and invaluable for the writers. Understandably, there is often a desire to keep this process private: the operas are still evolving, the artists are still experimenting, and early exposure can invite snap judgments that risk undermining a piece before it has the chance to reach its full potential. But keeping workshops entirely behind the curtain creates its own problems. It limits the writers’ access to the very feedback and dialogue that can help them clarify their intentions. It reinforces the myth that operas emerge fully formed, when in reality they are the product of years of exploration, revision, and collaboration. And it deprives audiences of the rare chance to connect more deeply with the art form by witnessing how an opera grows and transforms. By carefully structuring how we bring the public into the process, we can preserve a safe space for artists while also enriching the work itself and the community around it.
Liz Lerman — visionary choreographer and creator of the Critical Response Process, which has reshaped the development of new work across disciplines.
When I joined COT as General Director, I was especially excited by the company’s deep commitment to new work and by the Vanguard Initiative — inspired in part by the model developed at ALT — to nurture the next generation of opera composers. This season, we are proud to introduce the seventh opera to emerge from the Vanguard Initiative: Trusted, by composer Aaron Israel Levin and librettist Marella Martin Koch. And this time, we’re approaching things a bit differently… We’re inviting you—the audience—into more of the creative process than ever before.
The way we are doing this is by holding a public concert reading as the culmination of our first piano-vocal workshop of Trusted, and opening that reading to the public. Immediately following the performance, we will invite the audience to participate in a Critical Response Process (CRP) — a method developed by choreographer Liz Lerman to create a structured, respectful framework for giving and receiving feedback that keeps the artist’s own goals front and center. I was first introduced to the Critical Response Process more than 15 years ago, and was immediately struck by how powerfully it empowers artists. Since then, I have trained extensively in the method and fully integrated CRP into ALT’s programs, making it a cornerstone of how we develop new operas. Because of this long-standing work and the success we’ve had applying CRP in opera development, I was honored to be invited to contribute a chapter to Liz Lerman’s recent book Critique Is Creative, which explores how the Process has been embraced across disciplines to foster deeper and more meaningful dialogue between artists and audiences. And now, I am excited to share this work with you!
On Sunday, September 21st at DePaul University, you’ll not only hear the very first draft of Trusted in this concert reading, but you’ll also play a direct role in shaping its future through the CRP session that follows.
So what exactly is CRP, and how will it work?
What is the Critical Response Process?
“Why don’t you just tell them the truth?”
This question was asked of me by an aspiring dramaturg in the Composer Librettist Development Program at ALT. We were discussing a scene from an opera that was being workshopped, and she was frustrated because she felt I was not expressing what I really thought about the work, and because I was holding her back from expressing her opinion as well.
My response was informed by the work I’ve done using CRP for over fifteen years: “Because their truth may be different from mine or yours, and their truth is the truth that matters.”
Artistic truth isn’t absolute or binary. Yes, we can observe when a narrative doesn’t make sense, or when vocal writing sits in a part of the range that makes the text difficult to understand. But what if the writers want the narrative to be confusing, or the tension created by a high tessitura matters more to them than easy comprehension? Understanding what guides artists’ decisions is critical. CRP helps us respect that their approach may be different from ours, and to engage in dialogue that centers the artists’ goals rather than imposing our own.
How CRP Works in Opera Development
At ALT—and now at COT—our workshop process includes both private and public readings (unstaged concerts) of operas at all stages of development:
Libretto workshops and readings (just the text),
Piano-vocal workshops and readings (with singers, pianist, and conductor),
Orchestral workshops and readings (with singers and the full instrumental ensemble).
These readings focus on the vision of the composer and librettist without staging, allowing the music and words to speak for themselves. This can feel very exposed for the artists—which is why CRP is so important.
Free-form audience talkbacks can easily become counterproductive, shifting focus away from the piece and onto audience members’ personal tastes. The Critical Response Process instead offers a structured, four-step framework that keeps the artists’ intent at the center. In CRP, a facilitator guides the exchange through a sequence: 1) statements of meaning from responders; 2) questions from the artists to the responders; 3) neutral questions from the responders to the artists (a tricky but fun part of the process, because most questions we ask in life are far from neutral!); and finally 4) opinions shared by responders, but only with the artists’ permission.
Within this framework, everyone has a role. The artists remain in control of the dialogue, able to probe what is most useful to them. Responders—which can include stakeholders, performers, colleagues, and audiences—participate equally, offering observations that support the artists’ goals rather than imposing their own. Performers bring insights from inside the work, audiences bring fresh perspective, and trained colleagues help model the process in real time. And the facilitator ensures that the exchange remains respectful, constructive, and balanced.
We also video record our CRP sessions. Often, the amount of information shared in a session can be overwhelming for artists. They’ve just shared their work with the public for the first time, and then they engage in rich and thought provoking discussion about that work. It can be emotional, and it can be exhausting. Many artists like to review the sessions to make sure they heard everything that was being discussed. One artist told me that he also liked to study his physical reactions on the video as the work was being discussed, as well as the reactions of his collaborator.
Why This Matters
CRP isn’t simply a process for me, but rather, an ethos by which I hope truly to serve each artist. The Process has made me more sensitive, more careful in my choice of words while talking to artists, and has helped me guide other strongly opinionated mentors. It is not uncommon to have strong opinions in the room when a new work is evolving and to have the temptation to tell artists how to “fix” their work. Using CRP principles—even when not formally using the Process—encourages everyone involved to embrace a less corrective approach. In private sessions, artists with whom I’ve developed a strong personal relationship might ask for criticism that is more direct or blunt. If they ask directly, I will offer it, but I wait until it is invited and I always differentiate from what is objective versus subjective in my observations. My use of CRP has never limited my ability to be critical or helpful. It has simply emphasized the artist over the mentor, providing a framework grounded in respect of the artist’s vision.
As COT continues to deepen its invest in the next generation of opera writers, we are proud to integrate CRP into our artistic practice here in Chicago. And now, you can experience it and play a hands on role.
I hope you will join us on Sunday, September 21st at DePaul University for the first workshop concert of Trusted. Not only will you be among the first to hear this exciting new opera, but you can take part in shaping its future!