With her quirky, irreverent style, Aria Umezawa’s work evokes wonder and challenges the long-established traditions of opera and classical music. She was the first stage director to be awarded an Adler Fellowship with San Francisco Opera in fifteen years. Upcoming engagements include two productions of Madama Butterfly with the Canadian Opera Company and Hawaii Opera Theater, and Acis and Galatea with Philharmonia Baroque at Tanglewood and Caramoor. Aria is a Co-Founder of Amplified Opera. As an advocate in the field, Aria has led anti-harassment workshops at opera organizations across North America and has spoken on topics including managing the challenges of the inherited repertoire (OPERA America).