Wordsmith

Wordsmith — One-Act Comic Chamber Opera Music by Lee Johnson • Libretto by Clay Powers Duration: ~19 minutes Instrumentation: Baritone, Tenor, Violin, Euphonium, Bassoon, Piano Wordsmith has earned a place as a favorite among singers, instrumentalists, and audiences for more than a quarter century. Johnson’s score deftly balances animated, pop/rock cartoon-like energy with moments of silver-screen lyricism and expressive depth, supporting a story rooted in the humorous clash between artistic ambition and political spontaneity. The opera centers on a harried speechwriter determined to craft a concession speech for his defeated Senate candidate—an orator who would much prefer pompous improvisation over anything resembling a prepared text. Their escalating misunderstandings reveal two men hilariously unaware of their own unrealized self-importance. Compact in scale, vibrant in pacing, and anchored in contemporary subject matter, Wordsmith is ideally suited for university programs, emerging-artist companies, chamber-opera initiatives, or mixed-genre concerts. Whether presented as a standalone work or paired with a full-length theatrical offering, Wordsmith provides performers with an engaging operatic vehicle and audiences with a refreshingly modern entry point into the operatic form.