Underworld Opera Company

Programs: Oakland metro operahousethe 'oakland metro operahouse' presents quality productions and performances from artists of all disciplines and genres including opera, spoken word, dance, theater, live music, circus, lucha libre and more. Open 2-5 nights a week, in fy 2013 - 2014 the 'operahouse'reached an audience of about 72,000 guests. The 'operahouse' continues to produce it's critically acclaimed monthly theatrical events. 'hoodslam', named best theatrical performance by the sf bay guardian, has become wildly popular selling out almost every month and was also a cover story on the sunday chronicle arts section. Our other month event, 'tourettes without regrets', voted best underground cultural event four years in a row, continues to dazzle audiences. Though the operahouse features some of the most sought after performers in the world, we continue to subsidize and co-produce performances by local non-profit arts organizations struggling to find accessible spaces. Duke ellington's queenie piein january and february 2014 oakland opera's production of 'duke ellington's queenie pie' was produced by long beach opera and chicago opera theater to much accolades. In august 2012, oakland opera was contacted by long beach opera and chicago opera theater for rental of our production of duke ellington's queenie pie. Oakland opera musical direction team was able to continue our journey in to the music of duke ellington, editing and improving the script. We are beyond delighted that this important cultural work, lost for decades and restored by our company, continues to be produced across the country. New work in commissioning stagesin fy 2013 - 2014 oakland opera commissioned composer/arranger marc bolin (duke ellington's queenie pie) to develop a combined work based on the 'mahagonny songspiel' and 'rise and fall of the city of mahagonny' by kurt weill. The 'mahagonny songspiel' has been a work that has always interested us as a company, as has the longer work the rise and fall of the city of mahagonny, unfortunately size of the pieces has always been an issue. Mahagonny songspiel at 30 minutes is too short for an operatic production, but the size and length of the full opera has always been out of our production scope. The commission is to take scenes from the full opera and reorchestrate the instruments to match the songspiel orchestra. The opera will be a collaboration with our smash hit monthly event 'hoodslam' and will be produced in november of 2014.