Lisa Despain - Composer (BM ’91) one of the winners of the biennial Zepick Modern Opera Competition, along with librettist Rachel J. Peters, premiered their latest collaboration, Staggerwing, at Opera Kansas on July 30 at the Kansas Aviation Museum in Visit Wichita. A female-led world premiere, Staggerwing brings to life the historical and dangerous flight of aviatrixes Louis Thaden and Blanche Noyes as they compete for and win the transcontinental 1936 Bendix Trophy Race.