Daron Hagen (born 1961) stands out in the landscape of American music as a distinguished composer of concert music and opera, as well as an innovative creator in the realm of operafilm. His acclaimed Bardo Trilogy films, which have garnered international recognition, are available for streaming on major platforms like Amazon Prime Video. Hagen is also set to release a book titled *Exploring Operafilm: Making the Bardo Trilogy* with McFarland in April 2026, providing an in-depth look at his creative process.
With a career that spans over fifty years, Hagen has an impressive catalog that includes five symphonies, 12 concertos, 13 operas, and more than 250 songs. His compositions have been commissioned by some of the world's leading ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Seattle Opera. Collaborations with notable artists such as Leonard Bernstein, JoAnn Falletta, and Gore Vidal further underscore his influence and standing in the music community.
Hagen has received numerous accolades, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and two Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Fellowships. He has served as president of the Lotte Lehmann Foundation and held various teaching positions at institutions like Bard College and the Curtis Institute of Music. His memoir, *Duet with the Past*, was published in 2019. With education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Curtis Institute, and Juilliard, Hagen continues to create and inspire from his base in Upstate New York.
