{"id":98020,"date":"2023-07-27T12:59:29","date_gmt":"2023-07-27T16:59:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=98020"},"modified":"2023-07-27T17:59:13","modified_gmt":"2023-07-27T21:59:13","slug":"scoop-new-work-based-life-nellie-bly-co-commissioned-torontos-tapestry-opera-premiere-philadelphia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2023\/07\/27\/scoop-new-work-based-life-nellie-bly-co-commissioned-torontos-tapestry-opera-premiere-philadelphia\/","title":{"rendered":"THE SCOOP | New Work Based On Life Of Nellie Bly Co-Commissioned By Toronto\u2019s Tapestry Opera To Premiere In Philadelphia"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Nellie
Nellie Bly (Pseudonym of Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman), (1867-1922); (Library of Congress<\/a>\/Public domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Toronto-based Tapestry Opera has co-commissioned a new opera based on the life and work of pioneering journalist Nellie Bly that will premiere in Philadelphia in September. Opera Philadelphia, Tapestry\u2019s commissioning partner, will present the world premiere of 10 Days in a Madhouse beginning on September 21.<\/p>\n

The music is written by American composer Rene Orth, with a libretto by noted Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch. Soprano Kiera Duffy stars as Nellie, with baritone Will Liverman as Dr. Blackwell, and the music will be conducted by Daniela Candillari (principal conductor at Opera Theatre of St. Louis). Joanna Settle directs.<\/p>\n

\u201c10 Days in a Madhouse exposes \u2014 as Nellie Bly herself did \u2014 the feminization of madness, the bias of doctors against the sanity of women, and how the systems and social structures in which women find themselves induce madness,\u201d says Orth in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Nellie Bly<\/h3>\n

\u201cCould I pass a week in the insane ward at Blackwell\u2019s Island<\/a>? I said I could and I would. And I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nellie Bly essentially invented investigative journalism in the late 19th century. Nellie was actually the pseudonym of Elizabeth Cochran, (she later added an “e” to the end of her name), born May 5, 1864 in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

She began her journalistic career with an angry letter to the Pittsburgh Dispatch about a misogynistic piece titled “What Are Girls Good For?”. The impressed editor gave her a job on the spot. Elizabeth later took up her pen name, based on a popular song by Stephen Foster, when she began to write for the Philadelphia Dispatch. She was expelled from Mexico after her expos\u00e9s on political corruption and the living conditions of the poor were published in 1886-87.<\/p>\n

Nellie was subsequently hired by New York World, run by Joseph Pulitzer, in 1887. As one of her first stories for the paper, she conspired to have herself committed to an insane asylum on what is now Roosevelt Island. After ten days, she wrote a piece revealing the shockingly bad conditions the patients endured. As a result, there was a grand jury investigation, which resulted in a number of improvements.<\/p>\n

It wouldn’t be the last of her big stories, or even the peak of fame for this remarkable trailblazer.<\/p>\n