When Gil [Rose] told me he wanted to stage this piece in concert in February 2025 as a prelude to making its first-ever professional recording, I was—to use the technical term—over the moon. — Mark Adamo
On August 7, 2026, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) and conductor Gil Rose present the first professional recording of Lysistrata, or The Nude Goddess, with PENTATONE. The album marks a return to the label for BMOP and Rose following their GRAMMY-nominated recording of John Corigliano’s The Lord of Cries (2023), for which Adamo served as librettist.
Originally commissioned by Houston Grand Opera and premiered in 2005, Lysistrata reimagines Aristophanes’ ancient comedy through Adamo’s distinctive voice as composer-librettist. Moving beyond the familiar story of a woman’s campaign to end war, the opera transforms its classical source into a nuanced exploration of love, conflict, identity, and human connection. The richly crafted score combines lyrical expressiveness, theatrical momentum, comedic wit, and intricate musical relationships that reflect the shifting alliances and emotions of its characters.
This recording of Lysistrata follows BMOP and Rose’s February 2025 concert presentation, bringing together a cast of acclaimed performers, including Anya Matanovič, Katherine Beck, Dominic Armstrong, and John Moore. The project continues the ensemble’s dedication to championing the works of 20th- and 21st-century American composers.
For all its glitter and ebullience, Lysistrata is, as you’ll hear, a demanding opera; it simply doesn’t come off unless you have a conductor, singers, and orchestra completely committed to its wide emotional range and its turn-on-a-dime musical athleticism. Sowhen I heard, in the playbacks of our sessions, these artists making the show sound not just precise, not just expressive, but also easy… well, I am here to tell you how much effort it takes to sound this effortless. I’d encourage you to read every credit in this program book; every name listed herein is that of a hero.
— Mark Adamo
Released as a 2-disc SACD clamshell edition and available digitally worldwide.
For more information, please contact Peggy Monastra.
