OPERA and MUSIC THEATRE
Death of Ivan IIych
Music by John Young with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak
Adapted from The Death of Ivan Ilych, the 1886 Novella by Leo Tolstoy
A Full Length Chamber Opera in One Act Sung in English (2021)
One Sheet for Death of Ivan Ilych
"New opera poignantly puts life in death" Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel
"Superb!" Quinn Delaney, PlaylistHQ
"A stirring premiere... this opera has become more relevant than the creators could have imagined." Chicago Classical Review
Music by John Young with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak
Adapted from The Death of Ivan Ilych, the 1886 Novella by Leo Tolstoy
A Full Length Chamber Opera in One Act Sung in English (2021)
One Sheet for Death of Ivan Ilych
- Chicago - Thompson Street Opera, Sept 2021
- Orlando - World Premiere with Opera Orlando, February 2021
"New opera poignantly puts life in death" Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel
"Superb!" Quinn Delaney, PlaylistHQ
"A stirring premiere... this opera has become more relevant than the creators could have imagined." Chicago Classical Review
Unbound
Music by Nathan Hall with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak
A Full-Length Site-Specific Chamber Opera with cast of 4 male identified singers (2021)
UnBound is a kink chamber opera with BDSM themes of submission, consent, and the sensual possibilities of bondage. Sung in English and Swedish
One Sheet for UnBound
"Unbound is a new opera that’s turning the traditional, button upped genre on its head." Outfront Magazine
"Unbound, a new contemporary opera, aims to change audience perceptions of both kink and opera." Denverite
Music by Nathan Hall with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak
A Full-Length Site-Specific Chamber Opera with cast of 4 male identified singers (2021)
UnBound is a kink chamber opera with BDSM themes of submission, consent, and the sensual possibilities of bondage. Sung in English and Swedish
One Sheet for UnBound
- Palm Springs - West Coast Premiere with TigerBear Productions, Oct 2022
- Denver - World Premiere at Studio Friction, August 2021
"Unbound is a new opera that’s turning the traditional, button upped genre on its head." Outfront Magazine
"Unbound, a new contemporary opera, aims to change audience perceptions of both kink and opera." Denverite
Song Cycle
A Light Rekindled
Music by Amin Sarrafi
Poetry by Sohrab Sepehri with English Text by Alan Olejniczak (2022)
Listen Here or on other major platforms
Music by Amin Sarrafi
Poetry by Sohrab Sepehri with English Text by Alan Olejniczak (2022)
Listen Here or on other major platforms
Other Musical Works In Development
Dreams Americanos
Music and Concept by Chris Pratorius-Gómez
Libretto by Alan Olejniczak and Chris Pratorius-Gómez
A Full-Length Chamber Opera with cast of 4 female and 2 male singers
Loosely Based on Cyrano de Bergerac and sung in English and Spanish
One Sheet for Dreams Americanos
Music and Concept by Chris Pratorius-Gómez
Libretto by Alan Olejniczak and Chris Pratorius-Gómez
A Full-Length Chamber Opera with cast of 4 female and 2 male singers
Loosely Based on Cyrano de Bergerac and sung in English and Spanish
One Sheet for Dreams Americanos
- Full Opera Workshop, January 2023, Houston TX
- Premiering April 29th and 30th, 2023 with I Colori dell'opera in Houston, TX
Concerto
by Alan Olejniczak with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
A spoken drama with live music about the composer, musician, and the patron behind the the creation of Tchaikovsky's First Violin Concerto. A full-length drama with music for piano and violin with a a running time of 80 minutes. Cast: 2 men , 1 woman, and 2 instrumentalists
by Alan Olejniczak with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
A spoken drama with live music about the composer, musician, and the patron behind the the creation of Tchaikovsky's First Violin Concerto. A full-length drama with music for piano and violin with a a running time of 80 minutes. Cast: 2 men , 1 woman, and 2 instrumentalists
- Premiering September 13th to October 1st 2023
- A staged workshop by The Oklahoma Lyric Theatre, Oklahoma City, Sept 2021 Directed by Michael Baron with Alexander Mickelthwate of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic
Atlas of Remote Islands
Music by Nathan Hall with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak and Nathan Hall
A Full-Length Opera of Song and Spoken Word for Soloists and Chorus. Sung in English
Based on the book: Atlas of Remote Islands: Fifty Islands I Have Never Set Foot on and Never Will By Judith Schalansky
Music by Nathan Hall with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak and Nathan Hall
A Full-Length Opera of Song and Spoken Word for Soloists and Chorus. Sung in English
Based on the book: Atlas of Remote Islands: Fifty Islands I Have Never Set Foot on and Never Will By Judith Schalansky
- Premiering with Opera on Tap - Colorado in May 2023 at The Contemporary Art Museum in Denver.
End of the Line
Music by Nathan Wasner with libretto by Alan Olejniczak
A twelve-minute comic opera for two male voices
With a chance meeting on the subway, two men discover they've lost their way. A short comic opera on how complete strangers are sometimes there when you need them the most. Sung in English
Music by Nathan Wasner with libretto by Alan Olejniczak
A twelve-minute comic opera for two male voices
With a chance meeting on the subway, two men discover they've lost their way. A short comic opera on how complete strangers are sometimes there when you need them the most. Sung in English
- Premiering May 2023 in New York City
Hypatia
Music by Afarin Monsouri with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak
A full-length chamber opera in one act, with a cast of 2 woman, 3 men and small vocal ensemble
Hypatia is a one-act contemporary opera on the life and tragic death of Hypatia of Alexandria. This opera explores how powerful women are silenced under religious dogma and authoritarianism. Sung in English
Music by Afarin Monsouri with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak
A full-length chamber opera in one act, with a cast of 2 woman, 3 men and small vocal ensemble
Hypatia is a one-act contemporary opera on the life and tragic death of Hypatia of Alexandria. This opera explores how powerful women are silenced under religious dogma and authoritarianism. Sung in English
- Opera Workshop Premiere with Opera Ithaca in November 2023
Brownie
Book by Alan Olejniczak with Music and Songs by Johnny Mercer
A full-length musical in one act, with a cast of 3 woman, 1 man
Brownie Wise was the one of the influential businessperson in the 50s and the woman behind the creation of the Tupperware party. This musical charts the rise of this remarkable woman.
Book by Alan Olejniczak with Music and Songs by Johnny Mercer
A full-length musical in one act, with a cast of 3 woman, 1 man
Brownie Wise was the one of the influential businessperson in the 50s and the woman behind the creation of the Tupperware party. This musical charts the rise of this remarkable woman.
- In Development with Lyric Theater of Oklahoma
Transgress
Music by John Young with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak
A Full-Length Chamber Opera with cast of 1 woman and 3 male singers
A chamber opera about Dora Ratjen, a Nazi Olympic woman’s high jumper who was arrested for impersonating a woman. Sung in English
One Sheet for Transgress
Listen to the music
Music by John Young with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak
A Full-Length Chamber Opera with cast of 1 woman and 3 male singers
A chamber opera about Dora Ratjen, a Nazi Olympic woman’s high jumper who was arrested for impersonating a woman. Sung in English
One Sheet for Transgress
Listen to the music
- Completed, edited, and ready for a workshop
The Nightingale
Music by John Young with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak
Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale, The Nightingale
A Youth Opera for Families with a cast of 1 baritone, 1 soprano , 10 youth roles,
and a children's chorus with ten individual speaking roles. Sung in English
One Sheet for The Nightingale
Listen to a Sample
Minute to Midnight
Music by Dante De Silva with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak
A Full-Length Chamber Opera with cast of 3 women
Minute to Midnight is a surreal telling on the Cuban Missile Crisis that almost led the world to the brink of a nuclear war. Sung in English, Spanish, and Russian.
Yosef and the Counseling Angel
Music by Cole Thomason-Redus with text by Alan Olejniczak
A Full-Length Christmas Oratorio for Soloists and Chorus.
Drawn from sacred texts and medieval hymns, this nativity story is told from the perspective of Yosef, a young father who must gives up all for his faith, the love of his betrothed Mariam, and their child, Yeshua. Sung in English
More Information Here
Music by John Young with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak
Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale, The Nightingale
A Youth Opera for Families with a cast of 1 baritone, 1 soprano , 10 youth roles,
and a children's chorus with ten individual speaking roles. Sung in English
One Sheet for The Nightingale
Listen to a Sample
Minute to Midnight
Music by Dante De Silva with Libretto by Alan Olejniczak
A Full-Length Chamber Opera with cast of 3 women
Minute to Midnight is a surreal telling on the Cuban Missile Crisis that almost led the world to the brink of a nuclear war. Sung in English, Spanish, and Russian.
- In development.
Yosef and the Counseling Angel
Music by Cole Thomason-Redus with text by Alan Olejniczak
A Full-Length Christmas Oratorio for Soloists and Chorus.
Drawn from sacred texts and medieval hymns, this nativity story is told from the perspective of Yosef, a young father who must gives up all for his faith, the love of his betrothed Mariam, and their child, Yeshua. Sung in English
More Information Here
Opera Performances
Alan enjoys singing and has performed on-and-off since his time as an undergraduate student. Nearly all of his on-stage experience has been as a bass-baritone in opera choruses.
Urban Opera, San Francisco
The Witch of Endor, 2010
San Francisco Lyric Opera
Roméo et Juliette, 2007
Aïda, 2008
Atlanta Opera Company
Tosca, 2006
Fidelio, 2005
La Bohème, 2005
Eugene Onegin, 2004
Aïda, 2003
Der Fliegende Holländer, 2002
The Andy Williams Christmas Show, 2003
Florentine Opera Company, Milwaukee
Turandot, 1988
Il Trovatore, 1987
Les contes d'Hoffmann, 1987
Tosca, 1986
Rigoletto, 1986
Les Pêcheurs de Perles, 1986
Milwaukee Opera Company
Maria Stuarda, 1986
supernumerary
Atlanta Opera Company
Carmen, 2004
Salome, 2003
Alan enjoys singing and has performed on-and-off since his time as an undergraduate student. Nearly all of his on-stage experience has been as a bass-baritone in opera choruses.
Urban Opera, San Francisco
The Witch of Endor, 2010
San Francisco Lyric Opera
Roméo et Juliette, 2007
Aïda, 2008
Atlanta Opera Company
Tosca, 2006
Fidelio, 2005
La Bohème, 2005
Eugene Onegin, 2004
Aïda, 2003
Der Fliegende Holländer, 2002
The Andy Williams Christmas Show, 2003
Florentine Opera Company, Milwaukee
Turandot, 1988
Il Trovatore, 1987
Les contes d'Hoffmann, 1987
Tosca, 1986
Rigoletto, 1986
Les Pêcheurs de Perles, 1986
Milwaukee Opera Company
Maria Stuarda, 1986
supernumerary
Atlanta Opera Company
Carmen, 2004
Salome, 2003