Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 7PM
Friday, March 21, 2025 at 7PM
Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 7PM

Librettist and Composed by Jason Cady and Anna Heflin
Vocals by Sarah Daniels
Vocalizing Cello by Aaron Wolff
Directed by Shannon Sindelar
Costumes by Krista Intranuovo Pineman

SOLOperas is a double feature of new operas for solo performers. The two premieres will be performed back to back in a seamless evening of music and theater.

The INcomplete Cosmicomics
The INcomplete Cosmicomics is a stand-alone opera by composer/writer Anna Heflin for vocalizing cellist/actor and electronics in which author Italo Calvino’s mystical entity Qfwfq continues his journey. After being stuck in a void for thousands of years with only a cello and a looper, the incongruous and multifaceted Qfwfq comes to life. Upon exiting the void, he faces a choice: he can either explode into existence as all beings or end linear time. Inspired by Calvino’s The Complete Cosmicomics, Heflin’s work is an original creation in which Qfwfq takes the reins of his own narrative. Equipped with a sharp sense of humor and sensuality, Qfwfq ruminates, charms and hypnotizes in his quest to break the loops of life.

The work showcases Juilliard-educated cellist Aaron Wolff as Qfwfq, whose acting credits include Danny Gopnik in the Coen brothers’ A Serious Man.

This Is Not About Natalie

This is Not About Natalie is a one-act opera with words and music by Jason Cady. It features a solo singer with a ventriloquist doll and guitar. She portrays a songwriter who uploads a new, original song everyday to Youtube and introduces each song in dialogue with her puppet. She was formerly one half of the underground duo, “Kris and Natalie.” Her former partner, Natalie, went on to become a famous popstar. But this is not about her.

Sarah Daniels, soprano and guitar, stars in this one-woman opera.