James Darrah’s visually arresting work at the intersection of theater, opera and film has become known for a singular cinematic elegance that is “experimenting and forging a new art form.” (The Wall Street Journal) His recent work as a director, screenwriter, and GRAMMY-nominated producer includes projects that continue to explore the merger of film, television formats and a radical re-definition of opera. He is the new Artistic Director and CCO of Long Beach Opera, is in collaboration with Martha Graham Dance Company for an exploration of dance + opera, and was Artistic Director of Opera Omaha’s ONE Festival where he was praised for establishing a first-of-its-kind residency for artists both within and adjacent to the operatic genre. His track record developing/ directing acclaimed premieres and new productions includes the world premieres of Ellen Reid's Pulitzer Prize-winning opera p r i s m (LA Opera/Prototype Festival), Missy Mazzoli's operas Breaking the Waves (Opera Philadelphia, Prototype) and Proving Up (Opera Omaha, Miller Theater), Michael Tilson Thomas’ Four Preludes on Playthings on the Wind (SF Symphony, LA Phil, New World Symphony), Frank Zappa's full score of 200 Motels (Los Angeles Philharmonic/ 10th Anniversary of Walt Disney Concert Hall with Esa-Pekka Salonen), The Brightness of Light by Kevin Puts with Reneé Fleming (Tanglewood/Boston Symphony Orchestra), The Bernstein Centennial on PBS (Tanglewood) and Academy Award-winner John Corigliano’s opera The Lord of Cries (The Santa Fe Opera). He continued his focus on new works with the acclaimed world premiere of Pulitzer-finalist composer Kate Soper’s The Romance of the Rose in 2023.He has worked extensively and mentored with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, directing productions for the San Francisco Symphony, LA Philharmonic and the New World Symphony. Darrah’s music videos for opera artists are known for their “enigmatic twists” (NPR) and have been distributed by Warner Music, Erato, LACO, and LA Opera. Additional stage work: LA Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Salle Pleyel in Paris, The Barbican Centre, The Lucerne Festival, The Handel Festspiele in Karlsruhe, Germany, The Handel and Haydn Society in Boston, Boston Lyric Opera, The Getty Villa, Malibu, Human Resources LA, Trinity Wall Street’s 12th Night Festival, Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and new work and tours in Berlin, Lisbon and São Paolo, Brazil. He has been profiled in GQ-Europe, the Los Angeles Times, NPR, SF Classical Voice, C Magazine, ALTA Magazine, and ALL ARTS NY.