Royce Vavrek — The Language of Opera

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Lizzie Bowman is joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist Royce Vavrek (Angel’s Bone with composer Du Yun, Adoration with composer Mary Kouyoumdjian, Lincoln in the Bardo with composer Missy Mazzoli) who grew up on a farm in Alberta, Canada, and is exploding in the international opera scene. We discuss how a childhood of country radio and the rural landscape of Northern Canada shaped his "serpentine" path through film school and eventually into the world of contemporary storytelling.Serendipitous Release: While this conversation was recorded in December 2025, a few audio technical hurdles (now fixed!) kept it in the vault until now. As it turns out, the timing is perfect. In the interview, we discuss the complexities of the project Indians on Vacation, and this week, on May 9, 2026, that project, in a new form, takes center stage. Against the Grain Theatre (where Royce is Artistic Director) will present "Stories Don’t Die" at the Terminal Theatre in Toronto. This intimate encounter interweaves excerpts from the opera with personal reflections on belonging and identity, featuring a newly commissioned sung land acknowledgement by Ian Cusson and Yvette Nolan.Also in this conversation:The "Energy Ping-Pong": Royce explains why he loves an audience that "talks back"—from $11 tickets at Opera Philly to the electric, "imperfect" magic of live performance.Pure Canadiana: A deep dive into our shared love for the Canadian singer-songwriters who define our playlists, including Sarah Slean, Kathleen Edwards, and The Rankin Family.Writing for Muses: The joy of creating roles for specific voices like Lauren Worsham, Anne Sophie von Otter, and Thomas Hampson.All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube and Spotify Channels. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman. Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information.