CHRISTIAN DE GRÉ CÁRDENAS
COMPOSER
BIOGRAPHY
Mexican Artist Christian De Gré Cárdenas has emerged as one of the most influential contemporary voices in the development of new works in New York City. He has spearheaded numerous international projects in film, theater, television, music, publishing, web-media, fine-art and radio such as Fatty Fatty No Friends (FringeNYC Excellence Award Winner, Innovative Theater Award Nominations for Best Music and Best Musical, New York Musical Festival Best of Fest, Showscore Critic's Pick, Time Out New York Critic's Pick), Beware The Chupacabra (FringeFAVE, FRINGE ENCORES), Whiskey Pants: The Mayor of Williamsburg (Audience Favorite at FRIGID New York, Showscore Critic's Pick, off-broadway premiere at HERE), Ampathy (Excellence Award winner at FRIGID) and Broken Crayons (Golden Palm at the Mexico International Film Festival). Most recently, his work was seen at Joe’s Pub in Twisted Operettas, and in Acedia at the Brick. This season, his work will be seen at Feinstein's/54 Below.
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A self-taught composer, De Gré Cárdenas has written and produced 28 original award-winning plays, musicals, operettas, operas, and song-cycles in New York City at world renowned organizations like Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, Feinstein's/54 Below, HERE Arts Center, and La Mama E.T.C. He has been commissioned to write music for The Discovery Channel, Drama Desk Awards, The United Nations, and The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York. De Gré Cárdenas has trained activists in Eastern Europe, Northern Africa and the Americas as the Theater for Social Change Partner of the United Nations International YPeer Network. Other projects include fine art exhibitor at the 69th Regiment Armory (Time-Out New York: Photo of the Week) and published poet in Story Time with Mr. Buttermen: Fables for Adults Living in a Modern World (available on Amazon).
He is an alumnus of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and The Broadway League’s Commercial Theater Institute and is currently enrolled in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. Having served as the General Manager and Director of Operations at The New York International Fringe Festival for five years and as Artistic Director of Mind The Art Entertainment for over a decade, De Gré Cárdenas has overseen the opening of over 1,000 new theatrical productions in New York City. In 2018 he was appointed as Director of OPERA America's National Opera Center in New York City
Current as of August 30, 2023
REPRESENTATIVES
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
"...earnestly spirited..." – NY Theater Now
– “De Gre’s macabre songs are impressible sombre and earnestly spirited”
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"...the perfect answer..." – OffTheBeatenTrackTheater
– “De Gré’s operettas (similar in style to Sondheim) are the perfect answer to the accusation that there is no new musical theater of quality being made.”
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"...Different, proud and exciting to hear..." – Theater in the Now
– “When something different arrives, you take note. De Gré’s music is just that. Different, proud and exciting to hear.”
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"...exquisite music..." – Hy Reviews
– “De Gré’s exquisite music is in a galaxy all its own.”