作曲家米西·马佐利创作的歌剧《The Galloping Cure》于爱丁堡国际艺术节首演[1]，这部与词作家罗伊斯·瓦夫雷克合作完成的作品通过旋转木马的寓言来探讨美国阿片类药物危机[1]。歌剧讲述一位名叫幸运人的骗子用免费骑乘吸引居民，最终导致整个小镇陷入困境[1]。
这部作品的创作源于马佐利的个人经历——她的两位表亲均因阿片类药物过量在25岁时去世，分别在2002年和2009年[1]。歌剧时长2小时15分钟，包含一次中场休息[1]，在苏格兰演出至周三后，将继续在瑞典上演，并计划于2027年秋季在旧金山歌剧院演出[1]。
这是马佐利在71天内的第二部首演作品[1]。她将在10月19日于纽约大都会歌剧院首演另一部歌剧《Lincoln in the Bardo》[1]，成为该歌剧院首位获得首演机会的女性作曲家[1]。两部首演作品时隔如此之近，类似于19世纪作曲家威尔第的先例——他在1853年创作的《Il Trovatore》和《La Traviata》相隔仅46天首演[1]。
Composer Missy Mazzoli's new opera "The Galloping Cure" made its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival, using a carousel as an allegory to examine the American opioid epidemic [1]. Created in collaboration with librettist Royce Vavrek, the work tells the story of a con artist named Lucky Man who attracts townspeople with free carousel rides, ultimately leading to the town's destruction [1]. The two-hour-fifteen-minute production, which includes one intermission, runs through Wednesday in Scotland before moving to performances in Sweden and San Francisco Opera in fall 2027 [1].
Mazzoli drew inspiration for the opera from the deaths of two cousins who died from opioid overdoses in 2002 and 2009, both at age 25 [1]. The composer is poised to make history as the Metropolitan Opera's first female composer to receive a world premiere commission, with her opera "Lincoln in the Bardo" set to debut at the New York venue on October 19 [1]. Remarkably, these two premieres occur just 71 days apart, echoing a precedent set by Verdi when his operas "Il Trovatore" and "La Traviata" premiered 46 days apart in 1853 [1].