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Opera Philadelphia premieres Complications in Sue at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, PA

February 4, 7:00 pm February 8, 2026, 2:00 pm


240 S Broad St
Philadelphia, PA 19102 map

World Premiere
Libretto by Michael R. Jackson
Music by Andy Akiho, Alistair Coleman, Nathalie Joachim, Missy Mazzoli, Nico Muhly, Rene Orth, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Kamala Sankaram, Dan Schlosberg, and Errollyn Wallen
Performed in English with English supertitles

One librettist, one actor, four singers, and ten composers join forces to make opera in a brand-new way. In his first opera libretto, Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning playwright Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop) traces the life of a woman named Sue whose personality is split in two. Sue’s life, from the mundane to the extraordinary, unfolds before us, with each decade scored by a different musical luminary. Opera Philadelphia favorites Missy Mazzoli (Breaking the WavesThe Listeners), Rene Orth (10 Days in a Madhouse), and Nico Muhly (Dark Sisters) return alongside a panoply of company debuts from notable composers, like GRAMMY® nominee Nathalie Joachim. The production stars MacArthur Genius and cabaret icon Justin Vivian Bond, with Zack Winokur directing, and conductor Caren Levine making her Opera Philadelphia debut.

Subscriptions are on sale now. Pick Your Price tickets go on sale to subscribers, donors $100+, and Opera Pass holders on May 1, and to the general public on May 15.