OUR MISSION
Opera Cecilia soloists performing in "Don't Fear The Diva- A Concert Of Opera Through The Ages" in collaboration with the Columbia Gorge Sinfonietta.
We are a new opera company with a mission to deliver engaging and relevant art to the people. As the founders of Opera Cecilia, we strive to create an environment that is inclusive and safe for our audience and the artists who engage in our various projects. As a new organization, we seek to deliver opera like it has never been before, reflecting relevant societal issues and utilizing accessible forms of online media. Whether we are premiering a brand new work or presenting an old classic from a new perspective, we seek to represent all aspects of humanity in our performances and outreach. We came up with the idea for Opera Cecilia because we wanted to see more fulfilling opportunities that were less costly for emerging artists.
We wanted to reject the need for perfectionism in the production of classical music, and be apart of the new face of opera. We created this company in hopes that we can break down barriers and present this beautiful art form in it's full glory for all who wish to be a part of it.
Welcome to Opera Cecilia- an evocative and innovative exploration of the human voice.
Projects From Past Seasons
Digital Offerings Available On YouTube
Past Live Performances
Virtual Blind Auditions
At Opera Cecilia, we hope to be innovators in this industry, and that begins with our audition process. For the first time ever in OC season two, we were proud to present our virtual blind auditions. We hope that this process will help level the playing field and create more inclusivity in this beautiful art form. We all have subconscious and conditioned bias. Through our first few seasons, OC aims to break those down and experiment with new ways to create a more equitable artistic future. Bias or current economic status should never get in the way of a beautiful artist's work being shown to the world. Opportunities to take part in virtual blind auditions will be announced here according to the casting needs of upcoming productions.
Every voice deserves to have a chance to share their art with the world. You are a person not a product, and we hope that this new initial blind audition round helps you know that we are treating your art with care and giving it the most equal opportunity possible. OC is committed to never blacklisting any artists. If you are not cast in this season, you are always welcome to come back and audition again! Please note that to honor our company's mission, we do not put an age cap on our audition process. This being said- preference for our productions will go toward artists at the emerging/developing level that have not performed a principal role with an A or B house, and are not currently under artistic management.
For additional questions or inquiries, please reach out to us at: admin@musiccecilia.com
2025 season and audition information coming soon!
About the Name
Opera Cecilia is named after St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music in the Catholic Church. As people of faith ourselves we have always asked St. Cecilia to pray for us during phrases of our artistic journey, and our company was made in devotion to her. This being said, Opera Cecilia is a company that we hope reflects the forward thinking values that we personally believe to be a true extension of our faith. We want this to be a company of love and inclusion. We want this to be a place where emerging artists can find meaningful and career leveraging opportunities, where people from all faiths and walks of life can come together for a beautiful artistic experience, and where LGBTQ, Female, BIPOC, and disabled creators can find an ally. We want this company to be an extension of our love for this art form, but also
a reflection of who we wish to be as people and the loving principles by which we aim to live our lives. Our mission for this company is that it becomes a safe haven for all people to feel loved, embraced, and represented, and continues to grow into an organization made by performers and for performers, with an aim to make a positive difference in our community.
Anti-Discrimination Statement
As a forward thinking and progressive company, Opera Cecilia seeks to be a home and ally to all. Our artistic organization makes it its mission to be fiercely anti-racist and inclusive, open to ways in which we can improve and grow, and be an ally to those who come from all walks of life. With this in mind, Opera Cecilia does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, socio economic status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or disability.
Meet Our Executive Producer!
Tanis Gonzaga as El Remendado in Bizet's Carmen at The Halifax Summer Opera Festival.
Tanis Gonzaga is a professional multi-disciplinary artist from the Pacific Northwest, and alongside his wife and Opera Cecilia founder, Taylor Gonzaga, is on a mission to help transform the industry of lyric theater for artists at the emerging level. The proud son of Mexican immigrants, Tanis Gonzaga has a duel Bachelor of Arts in music and theater performance from the University of Portland. In addition to doing filmography, singing chorus, co-directing, and producing many OC projects, Tanis recently starred as Ben and served as principle filmographer for University of Minnesota Duluth’s production of Menotti’s The Telephone. In the theater world, Tanis has performed the roles of Honecker and Gunter in Full Circle, Shrdlu in Adding Machine, for which he received an Irene Ryan Award nomination, and Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar, all with the University of Portland dept. of theater. Other operatic credits include El Remendado in Bizet’s Carmen with the Halifax Summer Opera Festival, and scenes from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and Paisiello’s Barber of Seville with Music in the Marche. A man of many trades, Tanis has served as lighting designer for the University of Portland’s production of Stop Kiss, composed and directed the UP lyric theater club’s New Works Concert, and gained his first professional credits building sets and singing in the chorus for several productions with the former Mocks Crest Opera. As a vocalist, Tanis has placed a number of times in competitions, including the 2016 Cascade Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Concert work includes Mozart’s Requiem and Bach’s Magnificat in D major. Tanis has sung internationally in Italy, Ireland, and Nova Scotia. When Tanis is not working in the arts, he serves by day as a certified nurses assistant and is a devoted husband and dog dad.