Evan L. SNYDER

In his operatic writing, Evan has striven to challenge audiences’ expectations about the types of stories that opera can tell. His first opera, A Capacity for Evil, tells a Holmesian detective tale, immersing the audience in the puzzles and machinations of a modern murder mystery. First showcased by the Fort Worth Opera, as a part of their 2017 Frontiers Competition, the opera went on to premiere to sold-out audiences with Detroit’s Opera MODO in fall 2018. A chamber orchestra version of the work premiered with Opera Las Vegas, January 2023.
 

Evan’s second opera, The Casserole, was developed alongside librettist Hannah Hayden, as part of Guildhall’s 2023-2024 Opera Makers programme. An exploration in operatic comedy, the 25 minute romp pays homage to 90s stoner comedies, Midwestern American cuisine, and the great operatic fascination with the occult.
 

Storytelling in smaller forms, Evan has also composed numerous songs and five full-length song cycles. Tiffany’s Spellbook, his witch’s grimoire turned song cycle, was commissioned and recorded by acclaimed soprano Tamara Wilson. His newest cycle, Songs from Verania, is an hour-long chamber cycle based on New York Times best-selling author

TJ Klune’s fantasy series, Tales from Verania, commissioned by tenor Eric Ferring for his upcoming album.
 

In addition to his works for the voice, Evan has also written numerous chamber pieces and large ensemble works. Alongside his own writing, Evan’s deft handling of instrumental forces has led to his frequent collaborations with other composers as an orchestrator. Most recently, Evan worked alongside Grammy-award winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre to orchestrate Eric's Christmas opera, The Gift of the Magi, which premiered at Carnegie Hall in Fall 2024.
 

Evan is a proud graduate of Michigan State University and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, holding degrees in Composition, Music Theory, Voice, and Opera Making & Writing.