Opera San José Unveils 2021-22 Season

One of Silicon Valley's flagship arts organizations, Opera San José, unveils its 2021-22 season, featuring new productions, company premieres, artist debuts, and cultural collaborations, in four vivid productions - including one with Broadway roots, a company first.

Opera San José, under the leadership of General Director Khori Dastoor, will return to live performances on the stage of the historic California Theatre next fall. The company, which has led the industry over the past year in the production of world-class virtual performances featuring nationally lauded artists, designers, and musicians, will also maintain its digital presence, launching the season with a production streamed from its state-of-the-art Heiman Digital Media Studio.

Says Dastoor in announcing the season, "We have spent the past year keeping faith with our artists and our audiences, finding ways to continue to create and share vibrant work, and welcoming a wider audience to engage with us than ever before. We are thrilled to be safely welcoming our patrons back into the theatre and know we could not have reached this moment without the unwavering support of our subscribers and donors."

The season launches with Rimsky-Korsakov's intimate, psychological thriller, Mozart and Salieri (September 30 - Oct. 31, 2021), presented as an online streamed production from Opera San José's Heiman Digital Media Studio, followed by Purcell's only opera, the soaring Dido and Aeneas (Nov. 13 - 28, 2021), marking the company's long awaited return to in-person performances. The season continues with two more productions presented live at the California Theatre including Bizet's fiery classic, Carmen (Feb. 12 - 27, 2022), in a beautiful reimagined production by director Lillian Groag in a new collaboration with the acclaimed Flamenco Society of San José, fusing dance, singing, and drama. The season concludes with a first for Opera San José, Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim's American classic West Side Story (April 16 - May 1, 2022) the tale of two star-crossed lovers and the prejudices that keep them apart, staged by Crystal Manich.

The company has also announced the exciting return of the Irene Dalis Vocal Competition (week of May 16, 2022), in which dazzlingly talented singers join the Opera San José Orchestra to perform soaring arias in a heart-stopping contest of unbridled operatic passion and vocal prowess.

New curtain times, which were originally announced for the 2020-21 season, will also be implemented with the return of in-person performances this season. Evening performances will begin at 7:30pm, and matinees will start at 2:00pm.

MOZART AND SALIERI

Presented from OSJ's beautiful Heiman Digital Media Studio - stream from home

September 30 - October 31, 2021

Opera San José kicks off the season in a reimagined format, bringing Rimsky-Korsakov's rarely-seen opera, Mozart and Salieri, to the screens of opera lovers throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Vienna's leading composer is seething over the upstart Mozart - a brash newcomer whose genius is undeniable. How can this vulgarian compose divine music fit for the Almighty? Based on a play by Pushkin, this chilling work, conducted by Donato Cabrera and directed by Fenlon Lamb, explores the rumor that Salieri used poison to obliterate his competition. Baritone Sidney Outlaw, lauded by the San Francisco Chronicle as "an opera powerhouse" takes on the role of Salieri.

DIDO AND AENEAS

Presented live in the California Theatre

November 13 - 28, 2021

Opera San José will make its much-anticipated return to the beloved California Theatre with baroque masterpiece Purcell's, Dido and Aeneas, conducted by Joseph Marcheso. This celebrated work recounts the love of Dido, the Queen of Carthage, for the Trojan hero, Aeneas. Her cruel abandonment is one of the opera's greatest tragedies, in a work that offers brilliant, soaring, richly nuanced arias and stunning emotionalism. Announced casting includes celebrated baritone Efraín Solís as Aeneas, lauded soprano Maya Kherani as Belinda, and multi-award-winning bass-baritone Nathan Stark as the Sorcerer.

CARMEN

Presented live in the California Theatre

February 12 - 28, 2022

Fiery flamenco joins brilliant singing to ignite Bizet's classic in a vibrant production reimagined by director Lillian Groag and conducted by Joseph Marcheso. In a new collaboration with the acclaimed Flamenco Society of San José, dance, singing, and drama will come together to tell the passionate tale of a defiant heroine, whose rebellious quest for freedom seals her tragic fate. Announced casting includes outstanding baritone Eugene Brancoveanu as Escamillo.

WEST SIDE STORY

Presented live in the California Theatre

April 16 - May 1, 2022

Opera San José will close this unforgettable season with Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's classic American tale of two star-crossed lovers and the prejudices that keep them apart. Bursting with passion, humor, dancing, and some of the most memorable music ever written, this stunning production of West Side Story - the company's first-ever musical - will be conducted by Christopher James Ray and staged by director Crystal Manich. Casting will be announced at a later date.

IRENE DALIS VOCAL COMPETITION

Presented live in the California Theatre

Week of May 16, 2022

Dazzlingly talented singers join the Opera San José Orchestra to perform soaring arias in this heart-stopping contest of unbridled operatic passion and vocal prowess. Tickets will go on sale January 2022, with subscribers receiving first-access to this thrilling, high-voltage event.

Opera San José will continue to offer its unique pop-up concerts, in which donors can curate a concert of their favorite arias featuring two of the company's national celebrated Resident Artists. Throughout the summer the company plans to announce additional programming, events, and other collaborations with local arts groups that will enable music lovers to encounter Opera San José in a variety of settings.

For more information or to purchase subscriptions ($100-$550) the public can visit operasj.org or call (408) 437-4450 (open Monday through Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm). Subscriptions are on sale now; single tickets will go on sale Monday, August 2, 2021.

Opera San José is a professional, regional opera company that is unique in the United States. Maintaining a resident company of artists and supporting emerging talent in role debuts, Opera San José specializes in showcasing the finest young professional singers in the nation. In addition to mainstage performances, Opera San José maintains extensive educational programs in schools and in the community at large and offers preview lectures and Introduction to Opera talks for all mainstage productions.