Opera Philadelphia

Various

Complications in Sue 

Complications in Sue 

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 Waves, The 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.

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Opera Philadelphia has partnered with Art-Reach and Nicole Sardella to provide Audio Description for this production on February 8Learn more>>

MapAcademy of Music

Dates are February 2026.

Wed, Feb 4 7:00 p.m.
Thu, Feb 5 7:00 p.m.
Fri, Feb 6 8:00 p.m.
Sun, Feb 8 2:00 p.m.

Runtime is approximately 100 minutes with no intermission

Artwork: Cybernetic Syntax in Limbo, courtesy of Uchercie and General Assembly. Photo by Jack and Jess Hall.

Cast & Creative Team

Caren Levine
Caren Levine *Conductor
Zack Winokur
Zack WinokurDirector
Justin Vivian Bond
Justin Vivian BondSue
Kiera Duffy
Kiera DuffyMrs. Claus, Co-Ed 1, Algorithm 1, Child Self, Death
Rehanna Thelwell
Rehanna Thelwell Newscaster, Algorithm 2, Octogenarian, Death
Nicky Spence
Nicky Spence *Co-Ed 2, Algorithm 3, Neighbor, Death
Nicholas Newton
Nicholas NewtonSanta Claus, Roger, Octogenarian, Death

Composers

Andy Akiho *
Andy Akiho *
Alistair Coleman
Alistair Coleman *
Nathalie Joachim
Nathalie Joachim *
Missy Mazzoli
Missy Mazzoli
Nico Muhly
Nico Muhly
Rene Orth
Rene Orth
Cécile McLorin Salvant
Cécile McLorin Salvant *
Kamala Sankaram
Kamala Sankaram *
Dan Schlosberg
Dan Schlosberg
Errollyn Wallen
Errollyn Wallen *
Michael R. Jackson

Librettist

Michael R. Jackson

Michael R. Jackson is a playwright, composer, and lyricist, best known for his musical A Strange Loop, which won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and 2022 Tony Award for Best Musical.

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