Opera San José is set to host “Let the Dream Begin,” a virtual fundraiser on Dec. 14, 2023. The event, which will kick off at 7 p.m. local time, will celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary. The performance was written and will be directed by Opera San José resident director Tara Branham and features performances from such artists as Eugene Brancoveanu, {…}
Opera San José’s 40th anniversary season will continue with Verdi’s “Rigoletto.” The opera will be directed by Dan Wallace Miller with Jorge Parodi conducting. Baritone Eugene Brancoveanu will return to Opera San José in the title role alongside tenor Edward Graves as the Duke of Mantua and soprano Melissa Sondhi as Gilda. The cast also features bass-baritone Ashraf Sewailam as Sparafucile, mezzo soprano Melisa Bonetti Luna as {…}
Opera San José is set to participate in the SoFA District’s evening art walk “South First Friday” on Nov. 3, 2023. As part of the celebration of arts and culture in the city, the opera company will present a preview of its upcoming “The Barber of Seville” production with events taking place from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. First up, audiences {…}
Photo credit: David Allen Opera San José will join the Downtown San Jose SoFA District’s “South First Friday” event on Sept. 1 to offer a preview of its upcoming production of Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Members of the “Romeo and Juliet” cast, including mezzo-sorpano Jessica Gonzalez-Rodriguez, tenor Keanu Aiono-Netzler, bass Eric Delagrange, and soprano Jasmine Habersham, will perform arias from the {…}
Opera San José is set to present Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” in November. The opera, which is subtitled “The Useless Precaution,” will be showcased in a production with scenery and costumes designed by Adrian Linford and directed by Stephen Lawless. The cast will include bass-baritone Dale Travis as Dr. Bartolo, baritone Ricardo José Rivera as Figaro, mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz {…}
Opera San José has unveiled its 2023-24 Artists-in-Residence. The resident company, which includes Melisa Bonetti (Mezzo-soprano), Michelle Ainna Cuizon (Director), Vartan Gabrielian (Bass-baritone), Johannes Löhner (Conductor), Courtney Miller (Mezzo-soprano), Joshua Sanders (Tenor), and Melissa Sondhi (Soprano), will be introduced in a virtual showcase scheduled for August 13, 2023. Of these artists, the company spotlighted Sondhi as the inaugural Artist-in-Residence for the Wadhwani Chair for South Asia Artists; this new initiative focuses on “incubating the incredible {…}
(Photo Credit: David Allen) Opera San José’s staging of Alma Deutscher’s “Cinderella” is set to stream for free beginning July 22, 2023. The production, which was filmed at the California Theatre in San Jose last fall, featured the operatic conducting debut of prodigy composer/musician Deutscher. The cast featured Natalia Santaliz as Cinderella, Joey Hammod-Leppek as The Prince, Ben Brady as {…}
Opera San José (OSJ) and ArtSmart have partnered to provide free voice lessons, musical opportunities, and mentorship for low-income middle and high school students. To celebrate this new collaboration, OSJ and ArtSmart invite Bay Area music lovers to their “Arts for All” fundraising initiative on May 6, 2023, to be hosted at Angelicas in Redwood City’s historic downtown district. The {…}
Opera San Jose and ArtSmart have announced a new partnership to provide free music lessons and opportunities to students in San Jose. To mark this new initiative, OSJ and ArtSmart will invite Bay Area patrons to their “Arts for All” fundraiser on May 6, 2023, where they can see how an opera comes to life. Patrons can enjoy hors d‘oeuvres {…}
Opera San José has announced its 2023-24 season celebrating the company’s 40th anniversary. The season opens with an all-new production of Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet,” directed by Shawna Lucey. The production will star Indian-American soprano Melissa Sondhi in the role of Juliet and tenor Joshua Sanders as Romeo. Alex Boyer returns to the California Theatre in the role of Tybalt, {…}
To talk with the rising stars of Opera San Jose’s upcoming production of “Falstaff” was more than a treat: it was a privilege. The perspectives of soprano Chanáe Curtis and baritone Darren Drone promise rich and vibrant contributions to their future musical careers. Each of the young singers showed a genuine commitment to opera and their contributions to it. In {…}