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salon featuring Gertrude Stein and the opera

This new music opera is a collaboration between

poet Karren LaLonde Alenier and composer William Banfield.

Nancy Rhodes of Encompass New Opera Theatre is the artistic director.

Here is what has happened so far:

July 12, 2001	First public performance of music from Gertrude Stein Invents A Jump Early On occured during an opera workshop in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Workshop included a panel discussion with Karren Alenier, William Banfield, Nancy Rhodes, and moderator Grace Cavalieri.
February 2001	William Banfield provided Karren Alenier and Nancy Rhodes with printed scores of Act I.
January 25, 2001	William Banfield, aided by Encompass pianist Peter Freisinger, presented music from Act I of Gertrude Stein Invents A Jump Early On to Karren Alenier and Nancy Rhodes.
November 18, 2000	William Banfield sent sample music from Act I of Gertrude Stein Invents A Jump Early On in handwritten scores to Karren Alenier and Nancy Rhodes.
October 13, 2000	Public notice of Gertrude Stein Invents A Jump Early On published in the October 2000 Stagebill of Lincoln Center.
August 12, 2000	Karren Alenier presented the rewrite of Act III to William Banfield and Nancy Rhodes in NYC.
July 6, 2000	Karren Alenier, William Banfield and Nancy Rhodes met in NYC to discuss Acts II and III of the opera. Karren agreed to rewrite Act III.
June 17, 2000	Commission agreement signed by Encompass Director Nancy Rhodes, composer William Banfield and writer Karren Alenier in NYC. Rhodes, Banfield and Alenier discussed Act I and initiated strategy planning for the opera.
June 15, 2000	www.steinopera.com debuted the web design work of Randy Morgan, Studio IX.
June 14, 2000	Commission agreement signed by The Word Works Treasurer Michael Davis.
May 2000	Opera America honored Nancy Rhodes for "more than 25 years of dynamic leadership" as Artistic Director of Encompass New Opera Theatre.
March 19, 2000	Karren Alenier presented spoken voice work-in-progress arias from Act I at Musica Viva, a new music and poetry forum in Maryland.
February 16, 2000	During Encompass New Opera Theatre's cabaret at La Belle Epoque Dinner Club in New York City, Karren Alenier was introduced as the librettist of a new opera in progress.
November 15, 1999	Nancy Rhodes representing Encompass New Opera Theatre sent notice of commitment to Alenier and Banfield for creation, development and production of the opera.
November 7, 1999	The Word Works began fundraising for the composer's commission.
Summer 1999	Washington Life magazine mentioned the opera as a collaboration between Alenier, Banfield and Encompass.
August 24, 1998	Nancy Rhodes expressed written interest in the opera.
August 21, 1998	William Banfield expressed written interest in the opera.
July 1997 - June 1998	Alenier met with composer Jeffrey Mumford about working on the opera. No cogent plan was developed for a commission.
April 8, 1997	Public reading of Gertrude Stein Invents A Jump Early On. All three acts, Grace Episcopal Church, Washington, DC.
January 1997	Karren Alenier wrote Act III after extensive research.
November 1996	An early version of Act I was published in the chap book Bumper Cars: Gertrude Said She Took Him for A Ride.
October 1996	Karren Alenier wrote Act II in Florence, Italy.
February 3, 1996	Public reading of Gertrude Stein Invents A Jump Early On first act only, Chapters Book Store, Washington, DC.
August 1982	Karren Alenier worked on her Stein poems with Paul Bowles in Tangier, Morocco.