The Cook-Off (2023)
A Comedic Chamber Opera in One Act

Libretto: Mark Campbell
Orchestration: Sop, 2 Mezzo-Sop, Ten, Bar—1.0.0.Asax.0—0.0.0.0—Perc—Pf—Str

Duration: 60 minutes

Premiere: March 11, 2023, Chicago opera theater, Chicago Il

The Cook-Off is a comedic yet heartfelt opera set in the high-pressure world of a televised cooking competition. Five contestants—each with their own secrets, ambitions, and culinary quirks—face off in a whirlwind of rivalries, alliances, and surprising revelations. Beneath the “mac-and-cheesy” humor and sizzling tension, the opera reveals deeper truths about history, food and culture, legacy, and identity.