Opera San José has announced that it will showcase a workshop of a new opera by composer Stefan Cwik and librettist Anthony Asaro. The workshop is set for Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Heiman Rehearsal Hall. The opera in question, “Solaris,” is based on the famed science fiction novel by Stanislaw Lem that was the basis for Andrei Tarkovsky and {…}
Last week, President Donald J. Trump threatened to shut down the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for good by gutting its funding under the new budget proposal. In response, and not for the first time, the NEA opted for fighting another day by submitting to new requirements under Trump to remain a viable institution in the land. However, in {…}
Opera San José has announced that it has lost its grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The NEA announced on Friday, May 2, that it was updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects “that reflect the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity” as prioritized by President Donald Trump. As such, Opera San José will {…}
Opera San José’s CEO / General Director, Shawna Lucey has been named a 2025 “Woman of Influence” by Silicon Valley Business Journal. She will be honored at an awards ceremony on June 26, 2025 at the Santa Clara Marriott. “I am so honored and thrilled to be recognized as part of this group of incredible women making a difference in {…}
Opera San José has unveiled its 2025-26 season. First up is “Così fan tutte” starring Ricardo José Rivera as Guglielmo and Dale Travis as Don Alfonso. Alek Shrader directs and Joseph Marcheso conducts. Performance Dates: Sept. 14-28, 2025 Next up, Emily Jensen stars in “Madama Butterfly” alongside César Delgado as Pinkerton. Michelle Ainna Cuizon directs and Marcheso conducts. Performance Dates: Nov. 16-30, {…}
Opera San José is in the midst of a special community series in anticipation of its production of “Zorro” this month. Starting on March 28, the company initiated a series of community concerts in libraries around San José. The performances feature excerpts from “Zorro” as well as storybook readings. The first two events on March 28 were at East San {…}
Opera San José is set to take its Ballroom Performance Series to Filoli’s historic Woodside estate from March 11–13, 2025. The venue, which features a restored ballroom as of September 2024, will showcase a special program highlighting the company’s 41st season as well as a preview of its forthcoming “Zorro” production. Audiences will hear arias and duets from “Carmen,” “La {…}
Opera San José is set to conclude its 41st season with the Northern California premiere of Héctor Armienta’s “Zorro.” The production will be directed by David Radamés Toro, who will make his OSJ debut and Jorge Parodi will conduct the acclaimed piece. The opera is set in the early 1800s in El Pueblo de Los Ángeles, still a colony of Spain, {…}
Opera San José is currently performing a production of “Bluebeard’s Castle” by Shawna Lucey. The new production features tons of easter eggs for the bride Judith and the audience to discover, including items from prior Opera San José productions like “The Marriage of Figaro,” “Tosca,” “Il Segreto,” and “Cinderella.” But the greatest discovery is likely to be Maria Natale. The {…}
(Credit: Morgan Miller) On Feb. 15, Opera San José will open a new production of Bartók’s “Bluebeard’s Castle.” The opera is known for its intimate but eerie qualities and features a cast of two singers on stage. For the new production, Shawna Lucey is directing the work which features many hidden things that bride Judith will discover in her new husband’s {…}
(Photo credit: Louis Chan / David Allen) What does the future look like for female directors in opera? Opera San José, the opera company in the heart of Silicon Valley, California, now entering its 41st season, gives OperaWire a look at two young trailblazers: the current CEO and General Director, Shawna Lucey, and Michelle Ainna Cuizon, presently in residence and {…}