Gene Scheer is an acclaimed American librettist known for his versatility and his emotionally resonant texts – praised by audiences, critics, and collaborators alike.

He is principally known for his work on 12 full-length operas, including high-profile collaborations with composer Jake Heggie (Moby‑Dick, Three Decembers, It’s a Wonderful Life, Intelligence, If I Were You, Two Remain), Tobias Picker (Thérèse Raquin, An American Tragedy), Joby Talbot (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Everest), and Jennifer Higdon (Cold Mountain).

Cold Mountain, which premiered at Santa Fe Opera in 2015, won the International Opera Award for Best World Premiere and was nominated for a Grammy in Best Classical Composition. Scheer also earned a 2012 Grammy nomination for the oratorio August 4, 1964, composed by Steven Stucky and recorded by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under Jaap van Zweden.

This year marks a remarkable time for Scheer: Moby‑Dick premiered at the Metropolitan Opera on March 3rd, praised by The New York Times as “an economical wonder” for its libretto. This fall, the Met will open its 2025–26 season with the world premiere of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, a new opera created with composer Mason Bates, to be directed by Bartlett Sher and conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Also a composer in his own right, Mr. Scheer has written a number of songs for singers such as Renée Fleming, Joyce DiDonato, Sylvia McNair, Stephanie Blythe, Jennifer Larmore, Denyce Graves, Lucas Meachem, and Nathan Gunn. His song “American Anthem,” performed by Norah Jones, was featured in Ken Burns’ Emmy-winning PBS documentary The War.