Conductor Joseph Mechavich’s passion and commitment to the art form has helped to forge career-defining relationships with numerous opera companies, composers and orchestras in the United States and abroad. Maestro Mechavich has led productions of Porgy and Bess for Deutsche Oper Berlin and Cape Town Opera, Nixon in China for Auckland Philharmonia and New Zealand Opera, Il barbiere di Siviglia for Washington National Opera, Werther for Florida Grand Opera, Everest for Austin Opera, Silent Night for Calgary Opera, and Dead Man Walking for The Atlanta Opera.
After a summer at the Brevard Music Center leading performances of Flight and The Threepenny Opera, Maestro Mechavich’s 2024-2025 season includes performances of Florencia en el Amazonas with North Carolina Opera, and The Pirates of Penzance with Knoxville Opera. The previous season’s engagements included: La bohème for Florida Grand Opera; La traviata for Knoxville Opera, Lucia di Lammermoor for New Orleans Opera, La traviata for North Carolina Opera; Albert Herring at the University of Maryland; and Before It All Goes Dark (Heggie) for Music of Remembrance with performances in Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago.
In addition to his impressive command of the standard operatic repertoire, Maestro Mechavich is also known for his deep commitment to American opera. He is a champion of the music of Carlisle Floyd and Jake Heggie, having led productions of Floyd's Susannah, Of Mice and Men, and Cold Sassy Tree, and Wuthering Heights (recorded); as well as acclaimed productions of Heggie’s Moby-Dick, Great Scott, If I Were You, Out of Darkness: Two Remain (recorded), Three Decembers, and Dead Man Walking. In an interview with Classical Singer Magazine Heggie enthuses, “Joey is the very best kind of opera conductor…A real theater man who understands that dramatic pacing is absolutely everything. He’s a wonderful storyteller with baton in hand. He loves singers, loves words, loves the stage, loves the orchestra, and forces collectively to tell compelling stories…”
In past seasons Maestro Mechavich has conducted productions for The Minnesota Opera, Utah Opera, The Aspen Music Festival, The Curtis Institute of Music, Tulsa Opera, Arizona Opera, The Florentine Opera, Northwestern University, New York City Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Nashville Opera, Opera Colorado, Opera Tampa, Dayton Opera, Madison Opera, New England Conservatory of Music, Oberlin Opera Theatre, Pine Mountain Music Festival, Opera Saratoga and Virginia Opera. On the concert stage, Maestro Mechavich has appeared with the Florida Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, The Oberlin Chamber Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Hartford Symphony, Virginia Symphony and the Sarasota Orchestra.
Mo. Mechavich’s repertoire is expansive and ranges from Monteverdi through Mozart, to the bel canto school, Verismo, the French school, German opera, and modern works culminating in 105 titles and 125 productions to date. He was the former principal conductor of Kentucky Opera for 16 seasons and completed his education at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and Yale University School of Music.
