We recently connected with Josh Shaw and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Josh, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I very much learned through doing. I don’t have any formal training or degrees in directing. I came up as a singer, with experience in both opera and music theater. After several years of both good and bad experiences, I thought, “There must be a better — more efficient — way of doing all this.” I started there — How can I produce/direct in a way that is more efficient and respectful of everyone’s time. I did one show, learned a few things — then did another, and another, and another — and here I am 12 years and 100+ operas later.

The single most important thing I could have done to make my process faster would have been to take six months, live in Italy, and really become fluent in Italian. I direct operas in all languages, but I’d say 60% of the time we’re working in Italian. I’ve put in thousands of hours translating, writing in translations, and writing supertitles over the years. If I was fluent, all that would take just a few hours per production.

The most essential skills have been creativity, problem solving, and basic building/carpentry skills. I’ve succeeded where I have because I’ve always been able to make it work — whether that’s in a big, professional hall or on a concrete slab. And that has often meant being very creative with what show I picked to produce or what setting I’ll give an opera. More than most, I work to make shows align with venues and with the tastes of my audiences — not the other way around. I want to give people the experience they want to have, not force my ideas on them. I had to throw “basic carpentry” in there as essential because this skill really has helped me advance my career, particularly in the early years. I’m not a set designer. I’m not really a set builder either. But I often have the advantage/disadvantage of being the director/designer/builder (and sometime lighting designer). That means my vision/concept is realized through one lens. There are no meetings between builders, designers, and directors where ideas can get challenged, deluded, changed, vetoed. Of course that means those ideas also can’t be improved, expanded, or (wisely) vetoed. But it does allow me the opportunity to present exactly what I want, and that is something I think most directors long for more than anything else.

I’m so busy doing, that I never take the time to just learn. Italian is a great example. There was no reason I couldn’t have stopped everything and enrolled in an immersive program, other than I was too busy directing. It has all been learning on the job — which is good, but probably not the most efficient.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am the Founding Artistic Director and CEO of Pacific Opera Project, a Los Angeles based opera company with the mission of accessible, affordable, and Entertaining opera. Since it’s inception in July of 2011, POP has produced over 50 full opera productions, and now has a thriving Education and Engagement Program, an new office and rehearsal space, and has topped the $1 million mark for the first time in 2022. I have directed and designed nearly every production in POP’s history. In addition I am a free lance opera director and direct around 10 productions a year, including the four to six at POP. I am know for my updated takes on classic operas, such as my Star Trek inspired Abduction from the Seraglio and my 1990s Nintendo adaptation of The Magic Flute. I frequently write and produce new singable translations for operas originally in other languages.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My career goal is very simple — get the average person on the street to give opera a chance. I do not think opera is for everyone. But I do think many, many more people could enjoy opera occasionally if they just gave it a chance. And for those people who randomly discover and fall in love with opera, it’s almost life changing for them. So, everything I direct or produce has one focus: What is the shortest line from this opera to a regular “non-opera person”. This is best accomplished by setting operas in periods and situations that people can relate to, such as popular TV shows or video games. Sometimes is just means making people laugh. Other times it’s about a venue/experience that is unexpected.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Buy tickets! Go see live events. And importantly, realize the costs associated with producing these events.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.joshshaw.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seewhatishaw
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshshawtenor/

Image Credits
Photos by Martha Benedict