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Library

R. B. Schlather

May 30, 2026

|

Hudson, NY

Song

Recorded by

Megan Fountain

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Summary:

The interview was conducted with R.B. Schlather in his office at the River House in Hudson, NY on Saturday, May 30, 2026. R.B. was born and raised in Cooperstown, New York, where he attended the Glimmerglass Festival as a child and immediately knew that he wanted to become an opera director. He studied art history and drama at Ithaca College, and he made his home in Hudson in the 2010s.

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R.B. describes how he directed the first opera in Hudson Hall's history, and how he helped cultivate a now-thriving opera scene in Hudson. He explains that he chose to stage "Mother Of Us All," because it told the story of Susan B. Anthony, who lectured in Hudson Hall in the 19th century. With lyrics by Gertrude Stein, the opera also deals with Susan B. Anthony's romantic partnership with another woman.

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R.B. explains the power of opera as a communal and civic experience of feeling, spectacle, and overwhelming sound. He describes how he brings together a cast of emerging opera singers with renowned opera singers, as well as Hudson community members who sing in a band, a church choir, or in the shower.

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R.B. describes his upcoming project directing Handel's Daidamia at Hudson Hall (2027). R.B. remembers eccentric shopkeepers and gallery owners of Hudson who recently died. He describes Hudson as a magical, magnetic place with an uncertain future.

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Themes:
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Interviewer Bio:
Megan Fountain

Megan Fountain is a community organizer and theater lover based in New Haven, CT. She uses storytelling, theater, ceremonies, and protest to build collective power, historical memory, and shared visions for the future. White and Jewish, speaking Spanish and English, she belongs to Mending Minyan Synagogue and Jewish Voice for Peace. She is co-founder of the annual Dia de Muertos / Day of the Dead Parade of New Haven.

Additional Info:
Interview language(s):
English
,
Audio quality:

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Permissions: 

This interview is hereby made available for research purposes only. For additional uses (radio and other media, music, internet), please click here to inquire about permissions.

Part of this interview may be played in a radio broadcast or podcast.

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