Music and the Opera

Linney loved music and frequently incorporated it into his works.  He also wrote librettos for operas adapted from his plays: Death of King Philip, Democracy, Holy Ghosts, and The Sorrows of Frederick.  Commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, The Sorrows of Frederick is currently being workshopped.   A page of sheet music from the opera Democracy is at right, inscribed to Linney by its composer Scott Wheeler.  First performed in 2005, Democracy: An American Comedy was commissioned by Placido Domingo at the Washington National Opera.