The 2021 season marks the beginning of "Common Ground", a three-year initiative that will unveil six new pieces that tell stories of life in America.

The initiative begins this summer with "On Trac |<", a dance piece composed by Nicolas Lell Benavides and choreographed and performed by Amanda Castro, that looks at the intersection of human and machine in rural America, the release said.

This season is also the beginning of Common Ground, a three-year initiative that will unveil six new pieces that tell stories of life in America. It will begin this summer with On Trac|<, a dance piece composed by Nicolas Lell Benavides and choreographed and performed by Amanda Castro, that looks at the intersection of human and machine in rural America.

Early in the process, Saltzman, along with the three mentors, matched the singers with commissioned composers, building on the recital programs that were taking shape. Riley’s recital is bookended by two new pieces from L.A. composer Nicolas Lell Benavides (Oct. 2). Birchell debuts a song cycle by Michael Welsh (Oct. 10). And on the program for Metzler: a premiere from pianists Sarah Gibson and Thomas Kotcheff (Oct. 16). That’s in addition to music by Samuel Barber, Alexander Zemlinsky, William Grant Still, Jake Heggie, and more.