“The Copper Queen” premieres as Arizona Opera’s first all-woman team

The Arizona Opera’s 2021/2022 season has opened to offer content to its audience for the first time since its doors closed due to COVID-19, premiering with the organization’s first-ever all-female director, conductor and designer team for the production of “The Copper Queen” film.

“The Copper Queen,” originally an opera created for stage performances with music by Clint Borzoni, and a libretto by John de los Santos, began at the Arizona Opera as a live theater event. As challenges from the pandemic began to push an in-person debut out of reach, Joseph Specter, president and general director of Arizona Opera and an executive producer of “The Copper Queen,” made an ambitious leap to suggest the piece be constructed as a film instead.

“We strove for an emergence from the pandemic to continue service in the arts environment,” Specter said. “Innovation is absolutely key to all art, and I think it has become a leading principle for Arizona Opera in particular.”

Specter also mentioned that despite some expected challenges, but the on-screen format lended itself to many new aspects to present the film, from lighting to audio to dramatic angles.

“We really found there to be a lot of opportunity and richness — shooting it was an enriching transitory process,” he said.

The film, produced in association with Manley Films, is the first release of Arizona Opera’s McDougall RED series, a collection of their works for the upcoming season. “The Copper Queen” film is a period romance thriller based on a true story from Arizona history.

The film’s press release elaborates, as it tells of “the haunting tale of Julia Lowell, whose ghost famously roams Room 315, the site of her tragic death at The Copper Queen Hotel in the mining town of Bisbee, Arizona.” Viewers can find access to a list of exclusive screenings in select Harkins Theaters, as well as through Arizona Opera OnDemand, on the project website.

The story of “The Copper Queen” is told by two female leads, whose roles in the film are one of the driving reasons for the female-focused production team.

“Our all-women team was intentional,” said Specter. “Our story is lensed through two very strong female characters. Because the piece was composed by two men, I thought that it was important to make sure there was as much authenticity to the female voice as possible.”

Director Crystal Manich shared how this shaped her experience on set.

“Working with my primary team of all women, it was the first time for every single leadership position in the film, from the designer and producer to my assistant and myself,” Manich said. “It was so productive and so wonderful because we were all after the same thing. We all seemed to understand the gravity of it.”

She also touched on how the substance of the story itself was female-focused at its root — another component to the life and breath of the film.

“It’s not a man who is saving anybody. It is two women saving each other, as that to me is such a rare and strong narrative,” Manich said. “It’s about nothing being swept under the rug, and there can be purpose and catharsis in looking at that head-on.”

One of those roles is filled by actress Sarah Coit, who plays Addison in the film. Her feelings about the all-female team reflected the same feelings she was portraying on camera, which fueled her performance with an honesty she thought the role deserved.

“I think Addison is wrapped up in everybody’s story but her own, but men aren’t the main focus. What makes it so cool is that it is an exploration of having your own life, and that is very palpable for women,” Coit said.

She stressed the importance of the female voice taking the reins in each aspect of the film’s becoming, which is crucial to a story that demonstrates that voice in action.

“The lesson is just for women to hold on to their own agency, to love it, and to live their own lives the way they want to live them,” she said.

Contact the reporter at screvelt@asu.edu.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misspelled Sarah Coit’s name and the McDougall RED series. The story has been updated with the correct spelling.