Review: 8TH FRESH SQUEEZED OUNCE OF OPERA at DadaLab
Three original pieces prove that contemporary stories can be just as compelling as opera's grandest traditions. Now playing through July 25th, 2026
Opera has spent centuries telling tales of gods, royalty, doomed lovers, and epic tragedies. Yet some of today's most adventurous companies are asking a different question: what happens when this centuries-old art form turns its attention to the wonderfully strange realities of modern life? One Ounce Opera continues to explore that idea through its annual Fresh Squeezed Ounce of Opera, a festival devoted to new chamber works that reveal just how adaptable the medium can be.
Now in its eighth edition, the festival presents three world premieres that could hardly be more distinct. A darkly comic dinner party, a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by the remnants of human consumption, and a young woman born from the earth after a devastating flood are hardly conventional operatic subjects. Together, however, they demonstrate that opera remains a vibrant vehicle for exploring modern ideas in unexpected ways.
Under the direction of Julie Fiore, with Joseph Choi providing musical direction at the piano, the production shifts seamlessly between comedy, introspection, and imagination. The intimate setting at dadaLab removes any sense of distance between performers and audience, allowing every emotional beat and vocal nuance to land with remarkable immediacy.
My favorite is Having Guests for Dinner, with music by Nicholas Bentz and a libretto by Robert Ellsworth Feng. What begins as an ordinary dinner gathering quickly unravels into deliciously dark comedy, packed with clever twists, razor-sharp humour, and an irresistibly absurd premise. It feels perfectly suited to the format of the festival; marrying theatrical wit with an inventive score while proving that opera can be every bit as funny as it is dramatic.
Annisha Mackenzie as Laura, Brian Minnick as Marcus, and Stephen Maus as Christoph
Not pictured: Nicholas Bentz (music) and Robert Ellsworth Feng (libretto)
PC: Fresh Squeezed Ounce of Opera
Mud Girl offers the programme's most introspective work, exploring survival, motherhood, and identity in the aftermath of an environmental catastrophe. Its quieter, more reflective approach provides a welcome contrast, illustrating another way the medium can examine universal human experiences without relying on grand romance or historical spectacle.
Andréa Ochoa as River, Hillary Schranze as Maude
Not pictured: Avery LaRue as Poly I and Anneliese Sandoval as Poly II
Omar Najmi (music) and Christine Evans (libretto)
PC: Fresh Squeezed Ounce of Opera
Forever takes a wild path, imagining a future where humanity has vanished and the world belongs to the objects we left behind. Plastic waste, synthetic materials, and even a tiny tardigrade become unlikely protagonists in a work that balances humour with quiet reflection on environmental legacy. It is an imaginative piece that embraces the genre's ability to make even the most unconventional ideas feel deeply human.
Paige Patrick as The Wrapper, Lucas Hickman as The Wristband, and Liz Cass as The Tardigrade
Not pictured: Elizabeth Gartman (music) and Melisa Tien (libretto)
PC: Fresh Squeezed Ounce of Opera
Vocally, the cast is outstanding from start to finish. The music demands versatility as much as technical precision, and the performers navigate its shifting styles with confidence and clarity. Throughout the production, the score never overshadows the drama. Instead, it strengthens the characters and the ideas driving each piece.
Modern opera is hardly a new concept, but festivals like Fresh Squeezed Ounce of Opera are essential to its continued evolution. Rather than relying on familiar repertory, One Ounce Opera champions emerging composers and librettists eager to tackle subjects that resonate with today's audiences. Climate anxiety, environmental responsibility, family, identity, and even cannibalism all find a place here without sacrificing the emotional depth that has always defined the genre.
Not every piece will resonate equally with every audience member, and that is precisely the festival's strength. Fresh Squeezed Ounce of Opera is less interested in providing easy answers than in expanding our expectations of what opera can achieve. Judging by the laughter, thoughtful silence, and enthusiastic applause throughout the performance, that conversation is very much worth having.
8th Fresh Squeezed Ounce of Opera
Producer & Stage Director: Julie Fiore
Music Director & Pianist: Joseph Choi
Upcoming Performances:
Tuesday, July 21st at 7:30 PM
Thursday, July 23rd at 7:30 PM
Friday, July 24th at 7:30 PM
Saturday, July 25th at 2:30 PM
dadaLab
2008 Alexander Ave | Austin, Texas
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