Eli Villanueva, Director/Composer

08/22/2017

As this production of Brundibár/Friedl is happily tucked in, I wish to thank all the wonderful people associated with the wonderful Count Basie Theatre, including the tireless staff, crew, musicians and cast! I had a fantastic experience creating this story with you and I can't wait for the opportunity to work with you all again!

08/18/2017

Count Basie Theatre's Performing Arts Academy will open Friedl/Brundibar on Saturday. The students of the Opera Camp have been studying history at the same time they have been preparing their show.

In our preview, Friedl, we have a character named Petr Ginz, who was a young man placed in the Ghetto, Terezin during the Halocaust. He was a prolific writer and artist and this is a pic of his magazine for which he was a contributing writer and editor. He lost his life at the age of fifteen. I can only imagine what his contributions would have been had he survived.

Toi toi toi to the young women and men of Count Basie's Opera Camp.

08/16/2017

Thanks to Tazo Papadakis for the amazing photos of LA Opera's Cathedral Project, 2017 production of Noah's Flood.

11/30/2016

It is so amazing to see how much Clemence Yi has matured since I first met him at his first audition into Opera Camp! I'm proud to know him.

Giving Tuesday - My Opera Experience - The following is a personal story from Clemence Yi, an 8th grade student, who has participated in LA Opera’s education programs. As a non-profit organization, LA Opera relies on donations from individuals like you to fund programs that introduce students like C...

07/14/2016

Tickets "on sale" today. Only 2 performances so they will be going fast. Get yours today!

LA Opera presents the world premiere of Then I Stood Up. This youth opera celebrates the contributions and leadership of young people during the African-American Civil Rights Movement.

07/07/2016

Oh, that moment before a Dress/Tech when as director, you wish to offer pearls of wisdom and all you got is charcoal bricks. That's OK. They got this. Toi toi to the cast of HAIL POETRY! which opens this weekend at Soka University.

06/21/2016

1st rehearsal for Opera A La Carte's new production of HAIL POETRY. The ink on the new score is still drying, and changes to it are already being made... I look forward to playing with this lovely cast. Perhaps I should try to make a journal of the process....

05/16/2016

I really appreciate the BIRD cover who practices her part while the actual bird is on stage. Even up to the last performance...

05/16/2016

It's hard taking photos while directing a dress/tech rehearsal... There is so much to coordinate in such little time. But I managed to take this one before my phone died. I did not know the
POLICEMAN was going to pose at this moment...

02/29/2016

After 3 weeks of tour with LA Opera's production of The Legend of Cannery Row, I just want to thank the awesome cast, crew and students for all the hard work and fun!

01/09/2016

Three days into rehearsal for LA Opera Education's production of "The Prospector" by Lee Holdridge and Richard Sparks, and the singers are ready to lynch the tenor..! Don't worry, there's always a soprano waiting in the wings who is ready to come to his aid... (Lucky Lil Bandit). Soon, they will all be happy and ready for Saturday Mornings At The Opera! Orson Van II Gay, Cedric Berry, LeRoy Villanueva, Vincent Robles, Nicholas Boragno, Miki Yamash*ta, Lisa Eden, Tali Tadmor!

11/19/2015

Congratulations to the Choir of Southeast High School. They performed Orpheus admirably!