Opera by committee: Opera Philadelphia premieres Complications in Sue

Justin Vivian Bond (Sue)

Kiera Duffy and Nicky Spence (Sue’s college classmates)

Rehanna Thelwell (Brenda Blackwoman), Justin Vivian Bond (Sue) and Nicholas Newton (Roger)

Nicky Spence

By Cameron Kelsall, 05 February 2026

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“in a compelling meta-theatrical way, the project imitated life itself”

Reviewed at Academy of Music, Philadelphia on 4 February 2026

Various, Complications in Sue (Music by Andy Akiho, Alistair Coleman, Nathalie Joachim, Missy Mazzoli, Nico Muhly, Rene Orth, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Kamala Sankaram, Dan Schlosberg, and Errollyn Wallen)

Works by Akiho

Works by Coleman

Works by Joachim

Works by Mazzoli

Works by Muhly

Works by Orth

Works by Savant

Works by Sankaram

Works by Schlosberg

Works by Wallen

Zack Winokur, Director

Opera Philadelphia

Caren Levine, Conductor

Opera Philadelphia Orchestra

Kiera Duffy, Mrs Claus, Co-Ed 1, Algorithm 1, Child Self, Death

Justin Vivian Bond, Sue

Rehanna Thelwell, Newscaster, Algorithm 2, Octogenarian, Death

Nicky Spence, Co-Ed 2, Algorithm 3, Neighbor, Death

Nicholas Newton, Santa Claus, Roger, Octogenarian, Death

A sorta fairy tale: Sleepers Awake premieres at Opera Philadelphia

Cameron Kelsall, 22nd April

A new opera by Gregory Spears subverts the Sleeping Beauty trope, with middling results.

**111

A didactic Decameron: The Seasons at Opera Philadelphia

Cameron Kelsall, 20th December

Conceived by Anthony Roth Costanzo and Sarah Ruhl, this high-handed pasticcio sets the climate crisis to a soundtrack of Vivaldi.

***11

A long, strange trip: Opera Philadelphia’s Il viaggio a Reims

Cameron Kelsall, 19th September

The intrepid company brings Damiano Michieletto’s well-traveled production of a Rossini rarity to the US for the first time.

***11

The Listeners: daring psychological thriller at Opera Philadelphia

Cameron Kelsall, 25th September

The new opera by Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek draws on cult mindsets and conspiracy theories but smartly avoids sensationalism.

****1

Opera Philadelphia's Unholy Wars creates a dialogue with Monteverdi

Cameron Kelsall, 23rd September

Arab-American tenor Karim Sulayman devises a thoughtful pastiche that centers the perspective omitted from Early Modern depictions of the Middle East in music.

****1

Quinn Kelsey triumphs in Opera Philadelphia's Simon Boccanegra

Cameron Kelsall, 22nd September

In his role debut as the Genoan Doge, the American baritone continues to burnish his bona fides as the premier Verdi baritone of his generation.

****1

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Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall is a classical music critic and cultural reporter. He has written for Bachtrack since 2019, and his byline has appeared in many national and international classical music publications. Based in Philadelphia, he regularly travels around the United States for musical events. In addition to his career in journalism, Cameron also teaches in the Theatre Arts program at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a certified sommelier and avid home cook. His favorite composer is Mahler. Twitter: @CameronPKelsall.