On January 7, 2026, PROTOTYPE Festival will kick off this year’s edition with a special program of works. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Beth Morrison Projects, the festival will for the first time be solely produced by the company, featuring two world premieres, an immersive art salon, and more.
BMP Songbook @ National Sawdust: This concert will feature highlights from works commissioned by BMP over the years, including works from composers David Lang, Missy Mazoli, Ellen Reid, and more. The January 7 performance will also see the release of ‘BMP: SONGBOOK Anthology,’ a collection of over 60 arias, as well as a double album and commemorative visual history book.
Performance Dates: January 7, 6:30 PM; January 8, 7:00 PM
PRECIPICE @ La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club: Described as a contemporary fairy tale, this chamber opera features hand-made paper dioramas and live video feeds. Artists include Alice Tolan-Mee, Daisy Press, Kyle Pfortmiller, Julius Hollingsworth, Lacy Rose, Michael Kuhn, and twelve-year old Skye Zlatkin as The Raven Child
Performance Dates: January 8-11, 2026.
HILDEGARD: The first opera by Sarah Kirkland Snider, this work is said to explore the life of the famous hymnographer Hildegard von Bingen. Sopranos Nola Richardson and Mikaela Bennett will star as von Bingen and Richardis von Stade, respectively.
Performance Dates: January 9, 10, 11, 17, 2026.
The All Sing: Whale Road (Hwael-Rad): This new choral piece will blend black metal and recorded whale song in an immersive experience held in Times Square, performed by a metal band, as well as professional and volunteer singers in a 150+ person chorus.
Performance Date: January 11, 2:00 PM.
What to Wear: A post-rock opera by playwright Richard Foreman and composer Michael Gordon, the work features surrealist tableaux and Bang on a Can providing the orchestra. This will be the first performance of the work since its 2006 premiere, and will also feature special guest artist St. Vincent.
Performance Dates: January 15-17, 2026.
Tiergarten: Presented by Death of Classical and held at The Alley Behind St. Paul’s Carrol Street, this immersive cabaret draws inspiration from Weimar-era decadence and explores themes of societal madness. Directed by DoC founder Andrew Ousley, the event will include music from Handel to ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ and beyond.
Performance Date: January 16, 5:30 PM & 7:30 PM.
Art Bath: Blending a wide range of disciplines including puppetry and visual art, this edition of ‘Art Bath’ will feature experimental vocalist Lisel, violinist Isabelle Al Durrenberger, composer and cellist Matthew Jamal Scott, and vocalist Jasmine Rice Labejia.
Performance Dates: January 16-17, 2026.