Bernadette's Cozy Book Nook

About

Fort Worth Opera’s Bernadette’s Cozy Book Nook is a purpose-built “Zoom opera” created for online streaming at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Staged entirely within a video conference call, the 40‑minute work embraces the constraints and social rhythms of early 2020, capturing the glitches, miscommunications, and shifting dynamics of virtual gatherings. Presented January 14–24, 2021 as part of Fort Worth Opera’s 75th anniversary kickoff, the production demonstrates the company’s adaptation to digital stages when in‑person performances were suspended. With a score by Joe Illick and libretto by Mark Campbell, it balances humor and tension while reflecting on technology, community, and contemporary divisions. The result is a concise, character‑driven snapshot of a singular moment in recent history.