Richard Maltz

“Richard Maltz has a melodic gift and makes the most of it.”

— Robert Ward, 1962 Pulitzer Prize, The Crucible

Valley of the Kings: A Tragicomic Chamber Opera

Where the Passover Seder and Chinese takeout mash up with a raucous putt-putt golf tournament!

Thank you for being my brother - Trio for Soprano, Tenor, and Bass

Everyman - Tenor Aria

Pupu dance - Quartet for Chinese appetizers

Contact Richard

The Story
Brothers Monk and Binkie Bloom gather annually with their friend Bud Hobbes for a weekend of raucous festivities. Their traditions include eating, drinking, singing, a poker game in which they gamble for punches in the arm, and an unconventional putt-putt golf tournament. Though they admit their activities are silly, they regard them as the most meaningful moments of their lives. While Monk and Bud have both won the tournament many times, Binkie’s inability to do so is a symptom of his broader shortcomings. Yet Monk and Bud see potential in him—as does an ancient Egyptian king who gifts him a precious gem endowed with virtue. Monk’s greatest wish is to see Binkie win the tournament and succeed in life, but his time is cut short before he has the chance. Will Binkie ever win?

About the Work
Valley of the Kings is a singspiel with dance- an integrative artwork designed to attract enthusiasts of opera, theater, and ballet. The composer’s semi-autobiographical libretto weaves arias, ensembles, and choruses with dialogue and dance. While much of the dance is integrated into the fabric of the opera, there are three featured stand-alone ensembles: a fable with sticks and stones; a fight with a bird, monkey, and tiger; and a quartet for Chinese appetizers. A prologue and epilogue set in the present bookend two acts set in the past. The music is primarily neo-classical with some juxtapositions of modernism.

Principal Roles: Soprano (pants role), Tenor, Bass
Supporting Roles: Soprano, Spoken roles (1 adult, 2 children)
Chorus: 8 singers SATB
15-piece Orchestra: Fl/Pic, Ob/Eng Hn, Cl/Bs Cl, Bsn/Cbsn, Hn, Tpt, Tbn, Tba, 2 Perc, 2 Vn, Va, Vc, Bs
Dancers: 4 minimum

Bio

Richard Maltz composes music for large and small ensembles including opera. His instrumental and vocal compositions have received hundreds of performances nationally and abroad, by forty orchestras, and in the United States, Canada, England and Italy.

Richard is currently seeking performance opportunities for his new chamber opera Valley of the Kings (2026), a tragicomic singspiel with dance- an integrative artwork designed to attract enthusiasts of opera, theater, and ballet.

His opera Bambino (score and recording) is on permanent display in the Babe Ruth: His Life and Legend exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

Maltz and his wife live in Abingdon, Maryland where he enjoys singing with the Harford Choral Society.