American Opera Projects

Rebekah Heller, conductor
Barcelona, Map of Shadows
Mikael Karlsson, composer
Mallory Catlett, librettist

Barcelona, Map of Shadows
Barcelona, Map of Shadows is an opera adaptation of Catalan playwright Lluïsa Cunillé’s award-winning play by composer Mikael Karlsson and librettist/director Mallory Catlett. American Opera Projects has worked with Karlsson (Composers & the Voice alum 2011–2013) and Catlett on several opera projects. The new opera’s story involves an older couple, HE and SHE, who rent out rooms so they can afford to live in their rented apartment in a middle-class neighborhood in Barcelona. The opera takes place in one day and unfolds against the backdrop sounds of a radio broadcast of Maria Callas’ 1956 La bohème — heard intermittently during the five-scene opera. HE and SHE ask their lodgers — a French teacher, a soccer player turned security guard, and a young Latin American immigrant — to move out of the rented rooms because they want to be alone in the waning days of HE’s terminal illness.

Conductor Rebekah Heller’s multifaceted career has one clear throughline — creating and sharing new music with a generosity of spirit that invites and welcomes new audiences at every turn. Heller was a bassoonist in American Opera Projects’ collaborations with International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE). Heller, “an impressive solo bassoonist” (The New Yorker), made her solo debut with the New York Philharmonic in 2018 and has played with the Seattle Symphony, Nagoya Philharmonic, and New World Symphony. Informed by her curatorial and decision-making role at International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Heller’s style from the podium is clear, collaborative, and emotionally charged. Alex Ross, in The New Yorker, wrote of her 2023 Park Avenue Armory concert featuring the music of George Lewis: “[ICE], under the direction of Rebekah Heller, lit into the 2013 piece Assemblage” with “turn-on-a-dime energy.” In 2025, Heller will continue adding conducting engagements, including a residency with two ensembles at the Oberlin Conservatory, and will make appearances at the Darmstadt Summer Courses for New Music and the TIME:SPANS festival in New York City.

Dayton Performing Arts Alliance

Chelsea Gallo, composer
Carmen
Georges Bizet, composer
Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, librettists

Carmen
As an organization composed of the Dayton Opera, Dayton Ballet, and Dayton Philharmonic, the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA) prioritizes collaborations that showcase the unique strengths of each art form. DPAA’s upcoming production of Carmen exemplifies this commitment. This fully integrated production features the entire Dayton Ballet Company performing new choreography by Irene Rodriguez, an acclaimed flamenco dancer. The Dayton Philharmonic, under the baton of Chelsea Gallo in her Dayton Opera debut, will provide Bizet’s powerful score.

This production is sung in French with spoken dialogue, and the principal roles under contract are Matthew Cairns as Don José and Caitlin Gotimer as Micaëla. The ensemble will be completed with Dayton Opera artists in residence in supporting roles and 48 members of the Dayton Opera Chorus. Stunning scenic design by Dahl Delu and projection and lighting design by Daniel B. Chapman will bring the stage to life.

Labeled a “rising star” within the conducting world (Associated Press), conductor Chelsea Gallo has been praised for her ability to “lead the orchestra with grace and fiery command” (The Michigan Daily). Her conducting style has been described as “fully in control … stylish, skillful, and attentive” (Dallas News). For the 2024–2025 season, Gallo begins her third season as resident conductor of the Florida Orchestra and principal guest conductor of the Orlando Philharmonic and returns to the New York Philharmonic to serve as an assistant conductor. She is the recipient of a 2022 Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award and was a 2022 Hart conducting fellow with The Dallas Opera. During the season, Gallo will conduct over 50 performances with the Florida Orchestra, including subscription performances featuring The Percussion Collective, Debussy’s La mer, Sibelius’ Oceanides, and more.

The Glimmerglass Festival

Chía Patiño, stage director
The House on Mango Street
Derek Bermel, composer and librettist
Sandra Cisneros, librettist

The House on Mango Street
Director Chía Patiño will make her Glimmerglass directorial debut on the Alice Busch Opera Theater mainstage with a world-premiere production of The House on Mango Street by Grammy-nominated composer Derek Bermel and award-winning author Sandra Cisneros, based on Cisneros’ best-selling novel of the same title. A modern classic in Chicano literature, this coming-of-age story is centered around Esperanza Cordero, a 12-year-old girl growing up in a Hispanic sector of Chicago. Over the course of one year, Esperanza embarks on a journey of self-discovery as told through a series of vignettes, ranging from fascinating to funny to frightening. Nicole Paiement will return to conduct the Festival Orchestra, with set designs by Associate Artistic Director Emeritus John Conklin, costume design by Erik Teague, and lighting design by Amith Chandrashaker.

Chía Patiño is an Ecuadorian composer, arts administrator, and director. She studied composition and piano at the University of Louisville before receiving a master’s degree and Ph.D. in music from Indiana University, where her one-act opera Dreamwalker (1998) premiered. Recent directorial credits include Don Giovanni (Aspen Music Festival), Florencia en el Amazonas (Opera Tenerife), Orpheus & Eurydice (Seattle Opera), and La traviata (Florida Grand Opera). She conducted Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, the mariachi opera commissioned and produced by Houston Grand Opera, which she subsequently music directed in Paris, Phoenix, San Diego, El Paso, Fort Worth, and Chicago, in addition to its choral world premiere in Quito, Ecuador. Between 2009 and 2019, she was the artistic and executive director of the Teatro Nacional Sucre in Ecuador, and until recently, she was the stage director at the Butler Opera Center in Austin.

Houston Grand Opera

Kaneza Schaal, stage director
Aida
Giuseppe Verdi, composer
Antonio Ghislanzoni, librettist

Aida
Houston Grand Opera welcomes visionary director Kaneza Schaal in her company debut as director of HGO’s revolutionary new production of Aida in the 2026–2027 season. Schaal — celebrated for her groundbreaking theatrical work — brings her distinctive artistic voice to one of opera’s most beloved works. This exciting new vision draws inspiration from the glamorous golden age of Egyptian cinema, the spectacular architectural heritage of Ethiopian Orthodox traditions, and the surrealist writing of East African author Suzanne Césaire, transforming Aida into a vibrant cultural dialogue for today’s audiences.

Kaneza Schaal is a multidisciplinary director celebrated for her innovative work in theater, opera, and film. Based in New York City, Schaal directs productions that blend narrative, movement, and visual storytelling to explore themes of history, identity, and cultural resonance. She gained acclaim for directing Omar, by composer Rhiannon Giddens and librettist by Michael Abels, which premiered at Spoleto Festival USA and toured to major houses such as LA Opera. Her original works, such as Jack & and Go Forth have been performed at prominent venues including BAM’s Next Wave Festival and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Schaal’s artistry bridges traditional and contemporary forms, often drawing from global cultures and histories to enrich her storytelling. As a Guggenheim fellow and United States Artists fellow, she is recognized for her unique contributions to the performing arts. In opera, she brings a fresh perspective, infusing it with cultural depth and modern relevance.

Opera Columbus

Mila Henry, conductor
The Old Man and the Sea
Paola Prestini, composer
Royce Vavrek, librettist

The Old Man and the Sea
Opera Columbus is thrilled to announce that conductor Mila Henry will helm its eagerly awaited regional and professional premiere of The Old Man and the Sea, by composer Paola Prestini and librettist Royce Vavrek, based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway. With a distinguished track record in contemporary opera and multi-disciplinary performance, Henry brings a unique depth of knowledge to this production, having previously led the piece in partnership with Beth Morrison Projects and VisionIntoArt and working closely with Paola Prestini.

A champion of innovative storytelling, Henry has built her career around bridging musical and theatrical boundaries, weaving disparate artistic elements into bold, resonant productions. By engaging her for this new staging, Opera Columbus not only secures an expert conductor but also reaffirms its commitment to showcasing women arts leaders. Henry’s appointment underscores Opera Columbus’ dedication to uplifting diverse voices and perspectives on its stage, and the company looks forward to the fresh energy her vision will bring to central Ohio’s cultural landscape as well as The Ohio State University and Wexner Center for the Arts community.

Mila Henry is a music director, conductor, and pianist who maintains an active and versatile career leading works that defy genre, from rock musicals to folk operas to reimagined classics. She has worked with Lileana Blain-Cruz, Heather Christian, Bill T. Jones, George Lewis, Missy Mazzoli, Wayne Shorter, and esperanza spalding and frequently collaborates with Beth Morrison Projects, PROTOTYPE, and VisionIntoArt. She has also worked with American Lyric Theater, American Opera Projects, Experiments in Opera, OPERA America, Opera Ithaca, Opera on Tap, and Opera Philadelphia; as well as BalletCollective, Circle in the Square, HERE, McCarter Theatre, NYU Tisch, Octopus Theatricals, Pittsburgh CLO, and Ripe Time. Henry is an active Maestra member, serving as co-program head for First Takes and participating in their mentorship program. She is based in New York and plays with the alt-country band The Opera Cowgirls. She holds an M.M. from Manhattan School of Music and a B.A. from Elizabethtown College. Learn more at milahenry.com.

Opera Philadelphia

Jenny Koons, stage director
Sleepers Awake
Gregory Spears, composer and librettist

Sleepers Awake
Sleepers Awake is a new choral-focused composition commissioned for Gregory Spears in collaboration with Little Island. The opera is based on the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty, as told — absurdly — by the Swiss writer Robert Walser in his Fairy Tales dramolettes. The opera will be staged in the Academy of Music, conducted by Corrado Rovaris and directed by Jenny Koons, and will feature the Opera Philadelphia Chorus.

Jenny Koons is a visionary creative director specializing in immersive and innovative storytelling, blending narrative, space, and human connection. She brings ambitious ideas to life on stage — in branded environments and at international festivals — shaping narratives for events like the FIFA World Cup 2026 and activations for Meow Wolf, Prada, and Cynthia Rowley. As head of narrative experiences at Culture House Immersive, she envisions transformative projects for brands and original stories. Her productions include Queen of the Night (Drama Desk Award), Blue Man Group’s Speechless tour, and a trilingual Oedipus with Deaf West Theatre. Creative direction projects have included the Pan American Games, The Juilliard School, Princeton University, and Ars Nova. Koons believes in art’s power to spark curiosity, connection, and authentic engagement. She advocates for equity in the arts, founding the AAPI affinity space Let’s Talk About Hard Stuff and serving on The Ghostlight Project’s steering committee.

Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera

Sahar Nouri, conductor
La traviata
Giuseppe Verdi, composer
Francesco Maria Piave, librettist

La traviata
The Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera is thrilled to collaborate with Sahar Nouri as the conductor of La traviata, which will take place on March 20 and 22, 2026, at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center (SAFE PAC). In collaboration with Joshua Borths as stage director and a world-renowned cast, the fully staged and new conceptual production will be presented through two performances during the 2025–2026 season, which will serve as a fitting milestone as the first double-concert opera set presented by the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera. As the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera continues to invest in the expansion of operatic productions, the company is honored to partner with Nouri, whose artistic vision and leadership will contribute to an extraordinary production of La traviata that is poised to inspire audiences.

Iranian conductor and award-winning pianist and violinist Sahar Nouri has been the music director of Lamont Opera Theater at University of Denver since 2019. She has also served at Opera Colorado as chorus master and assistant conductor since 2016. Nouri is the founder/director of Dandelion Opera Institute. Most recently, she has conducted performances of La fille du régiment, Don Giovanni, Rigoletto, Carmen, and Il barbiere di Siviglia at Opera Colorado. As chorus master and cover conductor, she has been involved in over 20 productions at Opera Colorado, including Turandot, Samson et Dalila, The Flying Dutchman, Tosca, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, Le nozze di Figaro, La traviata, Falstaff, Il barbiere di Siviglia, La bohème, and several world premieres. Previously, Nouri has been part of the music staff at San Francisco Opera, Opera Parallèle, The Glimmerglass Festival, Boston Conservatory of Music, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and other organizations.

San Francisco Opera

Diane Paulus, stage director
The Monkey King
Huang Ruo, composer
David Henry Hwang, librettist

The Monkey King
San Francisco Opera will present eight performances of its commissioned, world-premiere opera The Monkey King in November 2025. The music is by composer and pianist Huang Ruo, in his SF Opera debut, with a libretto by award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang. Diane Paulus makes her SF Opera stage directing debut.

Set in a magical timeless period in ancient China, SF Opera’s new interpretation of this classic story reveals that Monkey King’s teacher, Master Puti, turns out to be Buddha himself, who sought to create an all-powerful creature to shake up the complacent and self-satisfied gods of Heaven. When his plan goes too well, however, and Monkey King’s rebellion threatens the very longevity of the deities, Buddha is forced to step in.

This major new work, with its fantastical spirit, has the potential to be a very special addition to the repertory. The Monkey King has the potential to engage thousands of new operagoers with the art form and to see a story of deep resonance on the opera stage.

Diane Paulus is the Terrie and Bradley Bloom artistic director of the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) and a professor of the practice of theater at Harvard University. Broadway credits include A.R.T.-originated productions of 1776, Jagged Little Pill, and Waitress; Pippin (Tony Awards for Best Revival and Best Director); Finding Neverland; Porgy and Bess (Tony Award for Best Revival, NAACP Award for Best Direction); and The Public Theater’s Hair (Tony Award for Best Revival). Other works include N/A (Lincoln Center), Romeo and Juliet (A.R.T.), Carmen (Glyndebourne), and Crossing (A.R.T./Brooklyn Academy of Music), among many others. She was selected for Boston magazine’s 2023, 2022, 2020, and 2018 lists of Boston’s most influential people and for Time magazine’s 2014 Time 100, an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Variety named her one of its “Trailblazing Women in Entertainment for 2014.”

Teatro Grattacielo

Anna Laura Miszerak, stage director
L’amico Fritz
Pietro Mascagni, composer
Nicola Daspuro, librettist

L’amico Fritz
Teatro Grattacielo proudly presents a new, multidisciplinary production of Pietro Mascagni and Nicola Daspuro’s rarely performed masterpiece L’amico Fritz. This reimagining blends opera, shadowing, movement, and video work, showcasing the innovative direction and design of Anna Laura Miszerak. Premiering at La MaMa in July 2025, the production continues Teatro Grattacielo’s mission to bring the transformative power of opera to Lower Manhattan and the Bowery, areas with vibrant yet underserved communities. With a commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, 25% of the tickets are offered free annually to attract and inspire new audiences. This production represents not only a celebration of Mascagni’s exquisite artistry but also a bold step in engaging diverse communities through opera’s universal language.

Anna Laura Miszerak is an Italian American opera director, choreographer, and multidisciplinary and movement artist. With a foundation in ballet from the Cosi-Stefanescu Ballet Academy in Reggio Emilia, Italy, she has built a global career spanning opera, film, and contemporary art. She holds a degree in art history with a focus on contemporary art from the University of Bologna.

As an assistant director, Miszerak has worked on acclaimed productions, including La tempesta at Wexford Festival Opera, Il matrimonio segreto at Teatro Regio di Parma, and Madama Butterfly in Cluj-Napoca. Her experience extends to iconic venues like the Arena di Verona and Royal Opera House Muscat with productions of Aida, Rigoletto, and Pagliacci. Since 2022, she has collaborated with Michele Diomà on film projects across Rome and New York. Teatro Grattacielo’s L’amico Fritz marks Miszerak’s U.S. directorial debut, showcasing her innovative approach to opera.