Opera director James Darrah, nominated for a Grammy, accepts position at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music
James Darrah, a GRAMMY Award-nominated director and producer, is set to bring his bold and imaginative staging to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as the new director of Opera UCLA. Known for his unique approach of integrating opera, film, and digital technology, Darrah's appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the school's opera programme.
Darrah's productions are characterized by their use of cutting-edge technology, interactive audience engagement, and multimedia integration. This hybrid artistic experience transcends the traditional boundaries of opera, modernizing the art form and fostering collaboration between music and theatre students at UCLA.
In his previous work with the Long Beach Opera, Darrah has demonstrated his commitment to pushing opera into contemporary realms. His productions, such as the critically acclaimed "desert in," a collaboration with composer Ellen Reid and playwright Christopher Oscar Peña, showcase his innovative uses of digital technology and film techniques within live performance settings.
As the artistic director and chief creative officer of Long Beach Opera since 2021, Darrah has applied his affinity for experimentation into his work, focusing on connecting opera with social media, film, and television. This approach is set to continue at UCLA, where he plans to offer students a distinctive artistic education and professional opportunities.
The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, established in 2016 as UCLA's 12th professional school by the UC Regents, boasts over 40 musical ensembles performing music from around the world. The school originally comprised the departments of ethnomusicology, music and musicology, and has since added interdisciplinary programs in global jazz studies and music industry, and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance.
The school offers an interdisciplinary education that prizes music performance and scholarship while emphasizing active engagement in the greater Los Angeles community. Graduates and faculty members of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music are recipients of prestigious MacArthur fellowships, Grammy Awards, and Emmy Awards.
James Darrah will join the faculty of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in Fall 2024. His innovative approach, which redefines opera as a dynamic, technology-enhanced art form that intersects with contemporary disciplines and methods, is set to enrich the educational experiences at UCLA and engage modern audiences.
For more information about the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, please visit www.our website.
[1] https://www.operaucla.com/ [2] https://www.longbeachopera.org/ [3] https://www.laco.org/ [4] https://music.ucla.edu/ [5] https://music.ucla.edu/programs/opera-ucla/
James Darrah's appointment as the new director of Opera UCLA marks an exciting new chapter for the school's opera program, promising a distinctive artistic education that encourages personal growth, learning, and self-development through his innovative approach to education and self-development. This unique approach will enrich the educational experiences at UCLA by redefining opera as a dynamic, technology-enhanced art form that intersects with contemporary disciplines and methods, fostering not only traditionally theatrical skills but also modern digital technology know-how.
