`10 Days in a Madhouse’ opera premieres in Philadelphia, celebrating women’s voices

By RONALD BLUM
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Composer Rene Orth’s “10 Days in a Madhouse,” based on the 1887 book by trailblazing reporter Nellie Bly, opened Opera Philadelphia’s O23 Festival. Orth was joined on the all-woman creative team by librettist Hannah Moscovitch and director Joanna Settle. Bly feigned derangement to gain admittance to the Blackwell’s Island insane asylum for women on what is now New York City’s Roosevelt Island. Her stories in the New York World uncovered abusive overcrowding, lack of heat, shared bath water and discrimination, leading to a grand jury investigation and reforms. Daniela Candillari conducts a run of five performances through Sept. 30.