Victoria Livengood (center) as Golde in Cincinnati Opera's Fiddler on the Roof | Photos by Philip Groshong Last month, Victoria Livengood and Rachel Blaustein joined Cincinnati Opera for their new production of Bock and Harnick's beloved Fiddler on the Roof . It was Cincinnati Opera's first musical in 40 years, and it's clear that both brought refreshing and unmatched nuance to their roles. " Victoria Livengood’s Golde offers grit and grace, particularly in the tender “Do You Love Me?” duet. Her operatic mezzo blends well with Hopp’s more Broadway style delivery." Read the full League of Cincinnati Theatres review Rachel Blaustein as Hodel in Cincinnati Opera's Fiddler on the Roof "Manich and Mirageas assembled a cast with opera-worthy voices, most of whom are successful at leaving the operatic vocal bombast behind and letting the simplicity of the composer Jerry Bock’s tunes guide the way. Finding that balance is difficult, but the singers playing Tevye and Golde’s three oldest daughters – Rachel Kobernick (Tzeitel), Rachel Blaustein (Hodel) and Jennifer Zetlan (Chava) – mastered it." Read the full Cincinnati Enquirer review

Lisa Marie Rogali (Rosina) far left and Ashraf Sewailam (Bartolo) far right star in Central City Opera's The Barber of Seville | Photos: Amanda Tipton Photography This summer, there's no doubt that the talents of UIA were on full display on the Central City Opera stage. Mezzo-soprano Lisa Marie Rogali took on the iconic role of Rosina and bass-baritone Ashraf Sewailam reprised his signature role of Dr. Bartolo (her guardian) in CCO's "zany" production of The Barber of Seville . Both received rave reviews from local press: "As the young lovers Rosina and Count Almaviva mezzo soprano Lisa Marie Rogali and tenor Andrew Morstein never let their goofing around overwhelm their intense musicality. Ashraf Sewailam’s booming bass and gift for physical comedy make his scenes as Rosina’s aging guardian some of the most memorable." Read the OnStage Colorado full review here

Directed by: Malena Dayen Music by: Alejandro Zuleta Libretto by: Alejandro Zuleta Original Production April 2025 - Cathedral of Saint Joseph DESIGNERS Alejandro Zuleta - Conductor & Composer Malena Dayen - Stage Director Sangmin Chae - Tech & Projection Designer Leah Levine - Art Director Ari Kim - Lighting Designer ​ The critically-acclaimed El Oratorio Panhispánico , composed by Alejandro Zuleta for the MACC Ensemble, presented at the Co-Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Brooklyn in April 2025. Entirely in Spanish, this groundbreaking oratorio weaves contemporary classical sound with the rich rhythms of Latin America in an unforgettable multimedia production. MEDIA

Zach Borichevsky (Duke of Mantua) and Kathryn Lewek (Gilda) in Cincinnati Opera's Rigoletto | Photo: Philip Groshong It was another undeniable triumph for opera superstars and husband-and-wife team Kathryn Lewek and Zach Borichevsky. Cincinnati Opera's June 12 and 14 performances of Rigoletto marked Ms. Lewek's role debut as the iconic yet tragic Gilda and solidified Mr. Borichevsky's reputation as one of the most sought-after tenors for the role of the notorious cad, the Duke of Mantua. Check out their glowing mentions below. ...Making her role and company debut as Gilda, Kathryn Lewek – who is the reigning Queen of the Night at the Metropolitan Opera – was a sensation. She and Chioldi shared a sweet chemistry in their duets as daughter and father. Lewek’s coloratura soprano was supple and her phrases were beautifully nuanced. Her singing was often capped by silvery top notes, high into the stratosphere. There was extra sizzle in her Act I encounter with the Duke, the role performed by tenor Zach Borichevsky (Lewek’s real-life husband). Their double cadenza, full of roulades and ornaments, was breathtaking. But it was Lewek’s “Caro nome,” which sings of young love, that was the evening’s showstopper, both vocally and in the way the aria was staged. This was a young girl who was intoxicated with love and swooning in ecstasy. She lay writhing on her back and showing a little leg as she tackled cascades of vocal coloratura and stunning high notes without missing a beat. Given the difficulty of this aria, her performance was even more impressive. As the Duke of Mantua, Borichevsky displayed an exciting tenor and sang with a touch of cruelty as he manhandled the ladies in “Questa o quella” (“This one or that one”). He was a suave lover as he wooed Gilda with thrilling top notes. He poured out his feelings with an ardent voice in “Parmi veder le lagrime” in Act 2, singing of his beloved Gilda. And he performed with vibrant ease in the carefree “La donna è mobile."... Read the full Cincinnati Business Courier review Photo: Philip Groshong Ms. Lewek is currently reprising Gilda in Los Angeles Opera's production, closing June 21. Read more

Alyson Cambridge (Bess) and Chauncey Packer (Sportin' Life) in WNO's Porgy and Bess | Photo: Cory Weaver Washington National Opera closed their season with a critically acclaimed production of Porgy and Bess , starring Brittany Renee and Alyson Cambridge as Bess in alternating casts and Chauncey Packer as Sportin' Life in all ten performances. Check out out some of the glowing reviews below! Brittany Renee (Bess) in Porgy and Bess at Washington National Opera | Photo: Cory Weaver "Soprano Brittany Renee as Bess was nuanced and specific in her acting choices as she portrayed a complex woman...Ms. Renee glided across the stage with a natural ease and brisk style that suited her character well. [Her] lustrous soprano was full of a rich, pleasing tone and captivating control. [Her] delivery of the classic 'Summertime' (reprise) was sublime." "This faith- driven life is mocked by the wily character of Sportin’ Life (the sparkling tenor of Chauncey Packer)...Mr. Packer exuded a sense of gleeful fatalism with an agile and exuberant charisma in his role." Read the full review from Broadway World "Speaking of Crown and Bess, Alyson Cambridge and Norman Garrett absolutely sold the abusive dynamic of their couple."  Read the full review from Opera Today Alyson Cambridge (Bess) and Chauncey Packer (Sportin' Life) in WNO's Porgy and Bess | Photo: Cory Weaver "...soprano Brittany Renee, made an equally impressive company debut. Her dulcet soprano reached up to powerful top notes in the duet “Bess, You Is My Woman Now,” and generated profound sympathy in her blockbuster “I Loves You, Porgy” in Act II. Renee’s charismatic stage presence empowered her to embody both sides of this troublesome character, whiskey-swigging Jezebel and temporarily reformed saint." "Chauncey Packer excelled in the character tenor role of Sportin’ Life, the flim-flamming drug dealer and gambler who finally convinces Bess to run off with him to New York. His combination of comic dance moves and vocal show never descended into cringeworthy caricature." Read the full review from Washington Classical Review

Zorro by Eddie Reynolds for Theatre Eddys Photo: David Allen A pulp fiction novel written in 1919 by John McCulley was so popular that he wrote dozens more short stories for decades about its hero. Within a year of McCulley’s publication, Douglas Fairbanks starred in a swashbuckling silent film whose popularity helped spawn to-date more than 40 more films, ten TV series, and an untold number of comic book titles. And now, the romantic, justice-seeking hero whose sword-slashing “Z” is still recognizable worldwide becomes the star ready to wow Opera San Jose audiences as the company presents the Northern California premiere of Héctor Armienta ’s new opera, Zorro — a must-see production replenish with rousing, heart-throbbing music; electrifying vocals; swooning romance; and thrilling action... ...But what is most important for any opera is of course the music; and in that respect the voices of this cast and chorus and the instruments of the orchestra (Jorge Parodi, conductor) reign supreme in bringing Héctor Armienta ’s score to life. The composer’s music is a tribute to its Spanish roots with sounds of Latin folk ballads (corridos), traditional love songs (boleros), and heart-pounding dance music (flamenco) threading throughout... ...Whether an aficionado of Puccini, an admirer of Latin songs, or a fan of adventurous tales, Opera San Jose’s eye-popping, heart-pumping Zorro by Héctor Armienta is an evening not to be missed. Read the full review here Also check out Bay Area NBC affiliate KRON's interview with Héctor Armienta below:

Adrienne Danrich as Ida (far left) and Krysty Swann as Beulah (background center) in This House . | Photo by Eric Woolsey Renowned composer Ricky Ian Gordon 's latest collaboration with Lynn Nottage opened last Saturday at Opera Theater of Saint Louis. Following their acclaimed partnership on Intimate Apparel in 2020, they reunited for a commission for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. This time Lynn's daughter, Ruby Aiyo Gerber, joined the ranks as co-librettist. Check out some of the great notices This House received below. ( This House was also assistant conducted by OTSL's Head of Music, Darwin Aquino .) Ricky Ian Gordon ’s lush score brings to vivid life a libretto by Lynn Nottage and her daughter Ruby Aiyo Gerber, weaving impacts of the Civil War, Great Migration, Black Power movement, AIDS crisis and gentrification. Read the full review from the Associated Press Krysty Swann as Beulah (left) and Victor Ryan Robertson as Percy (standing on chair) | Photo by Eric Woolsey This House is a triumph at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. The company’s 45th world premiere is a masterpiece. It has a dazzling score by Ricky Ian Gordon and a spellbinding libretto by Lynn Nottage and Ruby Aiyo Gerber, Nottage’s daughter... Gordon’s wondrously flexible, completely accessible music shows influences of many genres. In the program, Gordon mentions, “jazz, ragtime, serialism, American popular song, stride piano, hard rock…you name it.” The OTSL cast is superb. Its members sing brilliantly and act with total commitment and credibility. The performers and their roles are: Adrienne Danrich as Ida... Krysty Swann as Beulah, Ida’s mother Victor Ryan Robertson as Ida’s Uncle Percy Read the full review from HEC-TV Clockwise from top: Lynn Nottage, Ricky Ian Gordon, and Ruby Aiyo Gerber on the set of This House | Photo: Whitney Curtis The New York Times also recently profiled the creative team of This House , ahead of the premiere: ...The characters dart in and out of the opera’s narrative. Successive generations are haunted and cradled by preceding ones, with whom they commune, the elders frequently appearing as ghosts. The generations crisscross, too, in Gordon’s lush, evocative score. Gordon said that the musical inter-weavings enhance the sense of an intergenerational attachment — a sometimes claustrophobia-inducing closeness. “In ‘Intimate Apparel,’” he said, “I used the whole ensemble as an orchestra, so they barely ever left the stage. I decided to further that here. The ghosts, the spirits, never leave the stage. I want them there. It creates a sense of witness.” Gordon also chose to personify the house musically. “In the libretto,” he said, “the house itself breathes three times. I made a decision right from the beginning that I did not want this to be a sound-effect opera.” Instead, he created a motif for the orchestra’s reed section: “Whenever the house breathes, the reeds blow into their instruments, and the house — which is the ghosts — sing this vocalise.” Read the feature in The New York Times

Directed by: Malena Dayen Fearless tells the remarkable true story of Hazel Ying Lee — a trailblazing Chinese American pilot who shattered barriers during World War II. Amidst adversity and discrimination, Lee’s courage and determination helped change the face of American aviation history. Her legacy soars in this poignant and uplifting musical drama. Music and Libretto by: Derrick Wang Original Production May 2025 - Opera Delaware, Grand Opera House in Wilmington, DE DESIGNERS Ben Makino - Music Director John Raley - Set Designer Lupe Marín Burgin - Visual Media designer Tlåloc Lopez-Watermann - Lighting Designer Howard Tsvi Kaplan -Costume Designer Brittany Rappise - Hair & Makeup Designer ORIGINAL CAST Karen Vuong - Iris Ariana Maubach - Hazel Suchan Kim - Victor Alice Chung - Mother Emily Margevich - Ensemble Soprano 1 Toni Marie Palmertree - Ensemble Soprano 2 Gina Perregrino - Ensemble Mezzo Luke Norvell - Ensemble Tenor Ben Wager - Ensemble Baritone Director's Note When I became an American citizen, the judge presiding over the naturalization ceremony stood before a vast hall filled with new citizens from every corner of the world. Her words were brief but powerful—words that have stayed with me ever since.She said: “Now you have the responsibility to build and shape the America you dream of.” This opera is more than a historical narrative. It is an intimate exploration of family, identity, belonging, and resilience in the face of displacement and conflict. It asks how we carry forward the past, how we shape our future, and how we choose to define ourselves in times of great upheaval. At its center is the story of the Lee family, Chinese Americans who, like many immigrant families, navigated both the promise and the burden of the American dream. The characters and events in Fearless  are based on real people and lived experiences. Hazel Ying Lee, one of the first Chinese American women to fly for the U.S. military, and her brother Victor Lee, a soldier of the U.S. army during WWII, were part of a large family. The character of Iris, a fictionalized sibling, serves as a narrative thread—a bridge between history and memory. As narrator, witness, and participant, Iris offers the audience a deeply human lens through which to view the family’s journey. Through her eyes, we experience the personal stakes behind the history that shaped their lives. In creating the visual world of Fearless , I collaborated with Guadalupe Marín Burgin to use archival footage not as background, but as a poetic and interpretive force. These video art pieces act as living textures—reworked, layered, and reframed to blur the boundaries between past and present, fact and feeling. By destabilizing the historical image, we invite viewers into a space where memory, emotion, and history coexist. This creative process has been one of profound emotional and artistic engagement. As someone who understands what it means to straddle different cultures, histories, and definitions of home, I feel a deep kinship with the themes of this opera. The Lee family's story is uniquely theirs, but it also speaks to a broader human experience—the struggle to belong, to be seen, and to leave a meaningful legacy in a world that is often indifferent to those on the margins. To be part of the creation of Fearless  is an immense honor and a privilege. It is a reminder that art can bear witness, create space for forgotten voices, and challenge us to imagine a future shaped not only by struggle, but also by courage, empathy, and transformation. Reviews "Director Malena Dayen created inventive and effective staging. "eloquent and moving...soulfully written...filled with soaring melodies, memorable songs...and a masterful orchestration... The opening night audience sat riveted to the end." - Broad Street Review MEDIA

Curated by: Timothy Long Premiere National Sawdust, November 2024 Duration: Flexible program. One to two hours, with or without intermission Mission Statement As a child in Oklahoma, Beethoven’s music became my guide, and I eventually saw how my Native American culture and Western European culture were fusing to birth something new. This became the North American Indigenous Songbook. The Songbook compositions exhibit the great diversity and talent of Native American, First Nations, and Métis people. In North America (Turtle Island), there are over 1,000 recognized tribes, nations, and governments still in existence. The North American Indigenous Songbook concert represents a multitude of these tribes and our first series of composers encompass 10 tribal nations with accolades that include the Pulitzer Prize, a MacArthur “genius” grant, and multiple Grammy nominations.   At the 250th anniversary of the United States, we celebrate the entire continent of Turtle Island by bringing hope and unity to the world through words, music, and celebration. –Timothy Long, NAIS creator (Muscogee/Thlopthlocco/Choctaw) MEDIA

Music by: Kamala Sankaram Libretto by: Jerre Dye Duration: 60 minutes Premiered: The Gallery Players, 2012 A gripping two-character online opera about a serial killer, her childhood friend and the consequences of abandonment. FORCES Singers: Solo Soprano Orchestration: Speaking Piano Reviews "Sankaram's score expertly converys the mood... tailors the music to fit the text, one modd segueing smoothly into another...Interstate is more a sad origin story than a lurid tale of murder. It's about the consequences of abandonment, of how a life on the road became one that went off the rails. The kind of life that doesn't find its way into opera, but now has, thanks to Minnesota Opera's powerful production." - Critic's Pick: Star Tribune 10 Best performances of 2021 MEDIA

Music by: Kamala Sankaram Libretto by: Rob Handel Duration: 82 minutes Premiered: HERE Arts Center and OOT - with additional support from Experiments in Opera. Looking At You is an immersive Opera that explores the digital age. It explores how easy it is to surveil others Via the internet and Social media Apps. "Mr. Handel’s artful, well-paced libretto and Ms. Sankaram’s lively music-theater-infused scorelimn the tale of Dorothy, an ambitious engineer who invents an app, CheckUOut, for Rix, the techcompany that she has just joined. It’s supposed to be a relationship aid, as in letting you find outright away if that cute guy at the bar is someone you should date—but it is actually a powerfuldata miner that instantly collects and analyzes everything the internet knows about that person.Meanwhile, Dorothy’sboyfriend, Ethan (an Edward Snowden figure), has just released 1.7 millionsecret documents, the product of surveillance by 13 governments."- Wall Street Journal Review Heidi Waleson FORCES Singers: Mezzo-soprano, Tenor Two Baritones Two Sopranos Orchestration: Piano Alto Saxophone Tenor Saxophone Baritone Saxophone Chorus of Singing Tablet Computers Pre-recorded Electronics Reviews “The accompanying piano and three saxophones sound like a much more varied ensemble; they, along with the computer-generated backup chorus that emanates from the tablets on the tables, give the whole piece an insistent bass beat and murmuring background that contribute to the overall feeling of foreboding….an absorbing, frightening whole.” - Heid Waleson, The Wall Street Journal “Sankaram’s score is an eclectic mélange of jazz, techno, R&B, and hip-hop. The beats, melodies, and colors she creates are fun and infectious… Together Sankaram and Handel create a superbly paced story and a three-dimensional world that moves far beyond shallow criticism and caricature.” - Stephen Jude Tietjen, Opera News MEDIA

Music by: Kamala Sankaram Libretto b y: Rob Handel Duration: 45 Minutes Commissioned by: Chamber Opera Past productions: Opera Ithaca, New Camerata Opera, Third Eye Ensemble, Boston University, Marble City Opera. Ada, Countess of Lovelace and Lord Byron's daughter, has been asked to help Charles Babbage with his work on the Difference Engine. Can she pursue her love of mathematics while upholding her reputation? FORCES Singers: Two Sopranos Mezzo- Soprano Tenor Baritone Bass- Baritone Orchestration: String Quartet Piano Reviews "The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace’ Is Infinitely Charming..Sankaram’s deliciously tonal score is loaded with poise and charm that feigns minimalism to suggest binary math, but wanders through some intriguing stylistic territory that has flavors and textures of jazz, blues, classical, and 19th century romanticism, among others." – Alan Sherrod, Arts Knoxville MEDIA