Missy Mazzoli, whose 'Lincoln in the Bardo' opens at the Metropolitan Opera this fall, writes politically urgent, musically eclectic works for a new generation of operagoers. The opera, based on George Saunders's 2017 novel, is a world premiere and the first by a woman at the Met. Mazzoli has vaulted to the vanguard of new opera composers over the past decade, blending sweeping drama with unlikely sounds like kazoos and electronic dance beats.

Her collaborator, Royce Vavrek, writes most of her librettos, which tackle topical themes such as political polarization and the opioid crisis. Mazzoli said she wants her work to spark conversation and leave audiences with more questions than answers. At 45, she is presenting two world premieres on two continents in 10 weeks, calling the pace 'nearly killed me' but 'exhilarating.' Mazzoli is one of only two women to receive Met commissions, alongside Jeanine Tesori.

Anthony Roth Costanzo of Opera Philadelphia praised the Met's expansion into new work, saying Mazzoli's voice 'feels right.' Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Met music director, called her 'one of the shining lights of music' who can bring new audiences by bridging film, pop, and opera. Christine Goerke, singing the Reverend in 'Lincoln,' noted Mazzoli crosses boundaries critical to opera's evolution.