Professional Summary
Jose Maria Condemi, MFA, will join CCM's faculty as Associate Professor of Opera on Aug. 15, 2025.
Condemi has been a director and producer of opera and theater of exceptional artistic quality for over two decades, both in the United States and internationally. His work encompasses a diverse range of styles and periods, consistently lauded for its theatrical sophistication, distinct visual sensibility and innovative approach.
Condemi’s long-standing relationship with San Francisco Opera has included directing several mainstage productions, including Carmen, Un Ballo in Maschera, Madama Butterfly, Faust, Tosca and Così fan tutte. He also directed the world premieres of The Secret Garden and Earthrise, and recently helmed an innovative outreach touring event called Bohème Out of the Box. His extensive portfolio also includes significant directing engagements with major opera houses, such as Ernani and Tristan und Isolde with Lyric Opera of Chicago; Aida at Houston Grand Opera; Luisa Miller for Canadian Opera Company; Orphée et Eurydice, La Bohème, Tosca and Il Trovatore at Seattle Opera; Madama Butterfly and Salome at San Diego Opera; Ainadamar, Don Giovanni, La Traviata, Tosca and Lucia di Lammermoor for Cincinnati Opera; and Frida for Detroit Opera, Atlanta Opera and Florida Grand Opera. Additional notable engagements include productions for L'Opéra de Montréal, the Dallas Opera, Portland Opera, New Orleans Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Minnesota Opera, Opera Colorado, Utah Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Austin Lyric Opera, Kentucky Opera and many others.
As a sought-after mentor for young artists, Condemi has served as guest director for leading programs such as the Academy of Vocal Arts (Così fan tutte), Merola Opera Program (La Cenerentola, La Bohème, Hin und Zurück, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi), Wolf Trap Opera (La Traviata), Indiana University (Eugene Onegin, Dead Man Walking and Lucia di Lammermoor) and Seattle Opera Young Artists Program (Così fan tutte). He has also been a guest lecturer and master teacher for the Houston Grand Opera Studio, University of Houston Moores School of Music, Opera, San Diego State University, Opera Theater of Lucca (Italy), and the Young Artists Programme at the New National Theatre Tokyo. His training philosophy combines solid craft training with a real-world understanding of the profession’s demands, creating a learning environment that is both supportive and rigorous. He encourages young artists to take ownership of their artistic journey and approach their craft with both confidence and curiosity.
From 2010 to 2015, Condemi served as Artistic Director of Opera Santa Barbara, where he oversaw repertoire selection, budgeting, casting and overall artistic vision. From 2015 to 2022, he held the Carol Franc Buck Distinguished Chair at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he led a comprehensive academic and artistic overhaul of the Opera and Musical Theater program and successfully managed its re-accreditation process.