Opera Maine

Maine's only professional opera company, presenting original and inspiring productions since 1995

05/30/2026

Our 2026 Studio Artist Program production, Bound, tells the true story of a Vietnamese-American high school student balancing familial obligations, cultural identity, and the harsh realities of the legal system. Bound explores themes of belonging, duty, and the search for personal freedom.

Productions of Bound will be followed by a talkback on topics of immigration. The talkback will feature Opera Maine Artistic Director Dona D. Vaughn, Studio Artist Program Director Richard Gammon, Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ, members of the cast, and members of Maine's Vietnamese community.

We hope you stay after the show to engage with this topic that is now more important than ever.

05/28/2026

Join us in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and the contributions of the AANHPI community to the visual and performing arts.

This week, we celebrate our own Lance Inouye, conductor for our Studio Artist Program.

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Japanese American conductor Lance Inouye serves as Principal Guest Conductor of Hawai'i Opera Theatre, where he recently led the world premiere of Kamalehua: The Sheltering Tree, the first fully professional opera performed in the Hawaiian language. Based in Portland, Oregon he is Artistic Director and Conductor of the Willamette Valley Symphony and Director of Orchestral Activities at Lewis & Clark College.

Inouye has conducted with companies and orchestras across the U.S. and internationally, including Portland Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra. A prizewinner in European conducting competitions, he studied with David Zinman at the Aspen Music Festival and School and earned his DMA from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Upcoming engagements include a return to Opera Maine to conduct Huang Ruo’s Bound.

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Get tickets for Bound here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/bound

05/27/2026

Read all about Opera Maine's upcoming season from the Portland Press Herald: 'Want a summer full of passion? Here are 5 ways Opera Maine will spice up the season'

Article: https://www.pressherald.com/2026/05/22/want-a-summer-full-of-passion-here-are-5-ways-opera-maine-will-spice-up-the-season/?copylink=true

05/23/2026

Announcing our upcoming Serenade on Sunday June 7 @ 4 PM, featuring baritone Laureano Quant (Mercutio in our Romeo et Juliette) and pianist Noriko Yasuda.

This serenade will be held at The Casco's Sky Lounge (201 Federal St, Portland ME 04101 - 18th floor), featuring striking views of Casco Bay.

Reserve your ticket now at this link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/serenade-june--7

05/21/2026

Join us in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and the contributions of the AANHPI community to the visual and performing arts.

This week, we celebrate our own Richard Gammon, director of our Studio Artist Program.

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Richard Gammon (he/him) is an Ilokano + American stage director specializing in opera and theatre. He has directed productions at Wolf Trap Opera, Detroit Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Hawai'i Opera Theatre, Virginia Opera, and the Kennedy Center, among many others. He is the Director of the Opera Maine Studio Artist Program — under his leadership, OMSAP is now known for producing exclusively contemporary opera — and co-founder of Art with Arias, an annual collaborative recital series with the Portland Museum of Art. Richard works extensively with young artists at opera houses and conservatories nationwide, and has directed world and American premieres across the country.

Insta:
www.richard-gammon.com

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On Gammon's Production of Bound at Anchorage Opera:

"Stage Director Richard Gammon brought to the production a masterful dramatic hand. His direction was both meticulous and tender, allowing the opera’s emotional truths to surface organically. Gammon understands the eloquence of stillness; moments of quiet restraint carried as much weight as the opera’s climactic surges. His staging illuminated the interior lives of the characters with remarkable clarity, crafting a theatrical experience that felt both cinematic and deeply personal."
-American Presswire

Get tickets for Bound here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/bound

05/20/2026

We extend our gratitude to the sponsor of the piano for Bound, Starbird Piano Gallery.

In addition to selling pianos and piano accessories, they provide moving, tuning, rentals, storage, repair services, and much more. Learn more at https://www.starbirdmusic.com/

For all things piano, ask Starbird.

05/15/2026

Tomorrow: Join us as we screen Vincenzo Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi in Lunt Auditorium.

Bellini’s bel canto masterpiece brings the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet to life with soaring melodies and heart-stopping drama. Captured at the Ravenna Festival in 2001, this production shines with vocal brilliance and emotional intensity.

Starring Patrizia Ciofi Tagliavini as Giulietta, Sonia Ganassi Farca as Romeo, and Riccardo Gardina as Capellio, the performance showcases the elegance and passion that define Bellini’s music—long, arching lines of melody and moments of intimate tenderness set against fierce family rivalries.

Opera Maine is excited to once again partner with OceanView at Falmouth to present a special series of famous opera performances from around the world. Let’s come together as a community to enjoy and discuss opera.

We will welcome you beginning at 12:30 PM. OceanView will provide light snacks and beverages. There will be a 15 minute intermission.

Tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/film-series-i-capuleti-e-i-montecchi-by-bellini

05/14/2026

TODAY: Get an inside look at Opera Maine's 2026 season at Wells Public Library!

Learn more about our upcoming season from our dramaturg, Calien Lewis. Learn about the productions, the music, and the stories behind BOUND by Huang Ruo & Bao-Long Chu and ROMÉO ET JULIETTE by Charles Gounod. Whether you're a seasoned opera lover or simply curious, all are welcome!

This event is free to the public, no registration required.

Portland Public Library (5 Monument Sq, Portland ME 04101)
Wednesday, May 13
12 PM

05/13/2026

Join us in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and the contributions of the AANHPI community to the visual and performing arts.

This week, we celebrate Van Anh Vo, an Emmy Award-winning composer and musician who will be performing the đàn bầu for Bound (June 26 & 28).

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Vân-Ánh Võ is an Emmy Award–winning Vietnamese musician and composer, renowned for her virtuosity on the 16-string đàn tranh (zither) and her work across traditional and contemporary genres. She also performs on đàn bầu (monochord), đàn t’rưng (bamboo xylophone), and traditional percussion, blending Vietnamese musical heritage with global experimental forms. Her collaborators include Kronos Quartet, Yo-Yo Ma, and Alonzo King LINES Ballet.

Born into a musical family, she began studying đàn tranh at age four and graduated with distinction from the Vietnamese Academy of Music, later teaching there. In Vietnam, she won the National Đàn Tranh Competition and performed with the Vietnam National Music Theatre and her own ensemble, the Đồng Nội Ensemble.

Since relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2001, she has performed internationally at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, NPR, and major global festivals. Her work spans concert performance, composition, and film scoring, including the Oscar-nominated Daughter from Danang and Emmy-winning Bolinao 52.

As an artistic director, she has created large-scale multimedia works such as Odyssey and the Mekong trilogy. Her projects often incorporate community engagement and educational workshops. She has received recognition and support from institutions including the White House, New Music USA, Chamber Music America, and the California Arts Council.

https://www.vananhvo.com/

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Watch Võ perform during our performances of Bound (June 26 & 28) and on our June 25 event 'Building Community through Culture' in collaboration with the Maine Asian American Community Center. More information here: https://www.operamaine.org/serenades-concerts/

Get tickets for Bound here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/bound

05/11/2026

Announcing our NEW event: Building Community Through Culture in collaboration with the Maine Asian American Community Center

On June 25, this FREE event will feature performances by Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ and special guests.

June 25
7 PM
Portland Stage Theater
This event is free to the public.

https://meaacc.org/

Address

Office Address (not Performances): 225 Commercial Street #505
Portland, ME
04101

Telephone

+12078797678

Website

https://www.zeffy.com/donation-form/donate-to-opera-maine, http://www.operamaine.org/

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