(Photo credit: R Hadiashar) Portland Opera has announced the commission of “Jubilee,” a new opera by Damien Geter and Lorene Cary. The work, which will have its world premiere in March of 2026, will showcase the story of the original Fisk University Jubilee Singers and connect it with the current iteration of the ensemble. The opera will feature eight operatic {…}
Portland Opera has announced its 2022-23 season. The season kicks off with Bizet’s “Carmen,” which will star Maya Lahyani, Matthew Pearce, Richard Ollarsaba, and Ariana Wehr. Michael Ellis Ingram conducts a production directed by Denyce Graves. Performance Dates: Nov. 5 & 13, 2022 Kamala Sankaram’s “Thumbprint” will premiere with Maya Kherani, Indira Mahajan, Alok Kumar, Omar, Najmi, and Samina Aslam {…}
The Boston Lyric Opera alongside Opera Omaha, Opera Columbus, and Portland Opera have commissioned a new work. In an ongoing effort to make the art form more accessible, relevant, and resonant for a diverse audience, the companies have commissioned a work from New York artist collective UP UNTIL NOW a series of short, American Sign Language-based films of opera arias. {…}
On May 13, 2022, Portland Opera will present a special, one-night-only event in celebration of Maestro George Manahan’s tenure as their Music Director. Titled, “The George & Friends Concert,” the PO Chorus and Orchestra will be joined by guest artists and friends of the longtime director, performing arias and ensemble pieces from works such as “Carmen,” “Tannhauser,” “Lakme,” “Candide,” “Sweeney {…}
Portland Opera to Go (POGO) returns this month with “A Journey of Faith/Un Camino de Fe” by Héctor Armienta and Marcos Ochoa. “A Journey of Faith/Un camino de Fe” is based on a true story and is a story within a story. It begins with a young Latina in high school who is convinced that her family’s story is not {…}
Portland Opera is set to present “The Central Park Five” starting on March 18, 2022. The opera, composed by Anthony Davis to a libretto by Richard Wesley, will be directed by Nataki Garrett and stars Soltero Donovan as Antron McCray, Aubrey Allicock as Yusef Salaam, Bernardo Holcomb as Kevin Richardson, Nathan Granner as Kharey, Victor Ryan Robertson as Raymond Santana, {…}
The Portland Opera has received a major grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The company received $30,000 to support its production of “The Central Park Five,” which is scheduled for performances in March 2022. “We are so grateful to the National Endowment of the Arts for their support of this production of ‘The Central Park Five,’ and we’re so excited {…}
(Credit: Portland Opera official website) The Portland Opera has announced the upcoming U.S. premiere of Leslie Uyeda and Rachel Rose’s opera “When the Sun Comes Out.” The opera house will present six performances of the opera on Jan. 28 and 30, Feb. 3, 5, 10, and 12, 2022 at the Gregory K. and Mary Chomenko Hinckley Studio Theatre at the {…}
Portland Opera has announced that Damien Geter will take on the position of interim Music Director beginning Oct. 1. Geter is an accomplished composer, bass-baritone, and actor. His library of compositions includes chamber, orchestral, and vocal works that focus on social justice. He has been seen on the operatic stage with Portland Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera, and many {…}
Editorial Note: A previous version of this article stated that George Manahan was retiring. This is incorrect. He is stepping down from his position but will continue working in different capacities. The article has been altered to reflect this. George Manahan, the Music Director of the Portland Opera for the last nine years, has announced that he will be stepping {…}
Portland Opera has announced that it will require proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or negative tests from a COVID PCR test for all ticketholders for the 2021-22 season. Per a press release, “fully vaccinated” means that ticketholders have “received their final vaccination dose of either the two-dose regimen of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of Johnson & Johnson {…}