Michael Cavanagh, noted opera director, died yesterday of complications from bladder cancer in his hometown of London, Ontario. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Cavanagh crossed the world on his operatic career.
Cavanagh was a prolific opera director who left his mark with companies across North America and Europe. The news spread over social media as the opera community reacted with shock to his sudden passing at the age of 62.
Just found out that my favourite director, Michael Cavanagh has passed away from cancer. He was the first director I worked with professionally and was one of the best people in the business. I am heartbroken. 💔😢
— Angus Bell 🇨🇦🇦🇺🦫🦘 (@CanadianOwl92) March 13, 2024
The extraordinary career of Michael Cavanagh
Cavanagh is perhaps best known for his tenure as Artistic Director of the Royal Swedish Opera. What was to have been a five-year appointment began in the fall of 2021. It’s a high point, but hardly the start of his influential career.
Michael was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on July 16, 1961. He credited his career in opera with early introduction to the art form at age 12. He went on to perform as an adult chorister with Manitoba Opera, and studied singing in Germany. There, he would conclude he was in the right business, but in the wrong role.
Cavanagh would return to Canada, and began to work with Manitoba Opera in every capacity from driver to stage manager. Over his career, he returned to the company to direct many opera productions, most recently in 2016.
He’d move on to Vancouver Opera in the 1990s, then to Edmonton Opera as Artistic Director from 1998 to 2001. He served as the Producing Director at Opera on the Avalon in St. John’s, NL. His Nixon in China was a Vancouver Opera production that was staged to coincide with the 2010 Olympics.
Career Highlights
He’d go on to work with many companies worldwide, including l’Opéra de Montréal, Kansas City Opera, Opera Philadelphia, and others. He remounted Nixon in China in San Francisco and Dublin, as well as Stockholm.
He directed more than 150 operas across 32 different companies before landing in Sweden. As a guest artist, he directed a highly acclaimed Royal Swedish productions of Nixon in China and Aida before landing the permanent position. It was a significant appointment, and Cavanagh clearly relished his role there.
As he commented in a media release, “From the very first moment I set foot in that spectacular, historic opera house, I’ve loved working at the Royal Swedish Opera.”
Other highlights:
- Directing three all-new productions of Mozart-DaPonte operas for the San Francisco Opera, Le Nozze di Figaro, Così fan tutte, and Don Giovanni, beginning in 2019 through the 2021-22 seasons;
- He wrote the libretto for seven chamber operas with three different composers;
- His production of Cosìfan tutte will be staged by Los Angeles Opera in spring 2025.
He talks about his craft in the context of the Mozart San Francisco productions:
He will be mourned by former colleagues and students at the University of Western Ontario’s Don Wright Faculty of Music, where he worked as an instructor, and directed several Opera at Western productions.
His message to the audience of the Swedish Royal Opera is a poignant reminder of his work in the world of opera.
“If there is a single word that best describes the four operas that comprise our spring season, it would be perseverance. In each of the masterworks we are presenting, the characters embody this trait as they relentlessly pursue their dreams, goals, and ambitions. The word also perfectly sums up the dedication and determination of so many of us in the world of opera, and all of arts and culture, as we strive to keep our art form relevant, entertaining, and inspiring in an increasingly fragmented and disjointed world.”
In the family home’s in London, Ontario, Michael was also known as a sports enthusiast, and avid golfer. He is survived by his wife, soprano Jackie Short, daughter, grandchildren, and other family members.
A celebration of his life will be held later in the spring in London, Ontario.
The world of opera has lost a significant figure. May he rest in peace.
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