(Credits: Anita Watkins)

On March 13, Opera Director Michael Cavanagh died at the age of 62 of leptomeningeal cancer.

Born in Winnipeg, Canada, Cavanagh was encouraged by his musical parents to sing in church and school choirs and eventually join the children’s chorus at Manitoba Opera. He would continue to sing throughout his teens and in his 20s sang in a popular a cappella group called The Easy T’s and sang on the popular CBC Television show “Hymn Sing.”

He went on to study singing in Germany in the early 1990’s and realized that he wanted to do something different. When he returned home, he began working for MO and as the assistant director. He also began directing and writing operas at The Winnipeg Fringe Festival and eventually premiered the one-act comic operas “Gisela in Her Bathtub and City Workers in Love,” for which he was also a librettist.

He worked in the industry for 34 years and directed more than 150 operas at over 30 opera companies across Canada, the U.S. and Europe. Amongst which he worked included the San Francisco Opera, LA Opera, Minnesota Opera, Royal Opera House, Opera Philadelphia, and Opéra de Montréal.

Cavanagh’s favorite opera became John Adams’ “Nixon in China,” which he first directed for Vancouver Opera. Cavanagh was also the brainchild behind three new productions for San Francisco Opera that connected the Mozart-Da Ponte operas, “The Marriage of Figaro,” “Così fan tutte,” and “Don Giovanni.”

In 2020, Cavanagh was appointed Director of Opera at the Royal Swedish Opera where he guided and inspired a staff of hundreds of soloists, chorus members, musical staff, and crew.

In a statement, RSO CEO Fredrik Lindgren said, “With his open and generous personality, Michael was a dear friend and colleague to everyone at the Royal Swedish Opera. Already in his early productions with us we saw his sharp artistic eye but also his warm and positive persona. As Artistic Director of the Opera section from 2021, he was instrumental in developing the culture and direction of the House. Michael had the fantastic ability to see and know everyone around him and to spread joy and positive energy. The Royal Swedish Opera and the whole Opera world have lost a unique creative force and a beloved friend.”

He is survived by his wife Jackie Short, daughter Amelia Pipher, mother Angelika Stevens, brother Carl (Arlene) Cavanagh, sister Chrissy Morley, in-laws Matthew and Karen Short, Doreen Totten, Lisa Short, his step-siblings and many nieces and nephews.