Opera Saratoga announces its upcoming Educational Tour of Frida Kahlo and the bravest niña in el mundo at schools and public venues throughout the Capital District.



Frida Kahlo and the bravest niña in el mundo is an interactive children’s opera composed by former Opera Saratoga General Director Joe Illick with libretto written by Mark Campbell. The story is about Mariana, a young girl living in Mexico City in the late 1940s. Mariana’s family encourages her to have her portrait painted by the renowned artist, Frida Kahlo. Mariana is initially frightened, but is emboldened and charmed by Kahlo, the animals in her household including a monkey, a parrot and a dog, and a visit by the exuberant artist Diego Rivera. As Mariana sits for her portrait, she learns all about Frida’s life, and begins to understand the meaning of bravery.

Frida Kahlo and the bravest niña in el mundo is adapted from the book “Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World” by Laurence Anholt and was originally commissioned by Fort Worth Opera.

Acclaimed soprano Meghan Kasanders (The Consul, 2017) returns to Opera Saratoga for her directorial debut and is joined by Music Director Parker Konkle, who was a Festival Artist in summer 2024. This opportunity for young artists to experience leading a production fits in with Opera Saratoga’s mission to educate artists as well as audiences – supporting them at every stage of their artistic development. Kasanders says, “Opera Saratoga has been a home for me. I’ve been a singer in the young artist program, a principal artist, an assistant director, and now a director. Each role has enriched my artistic journey and the skills I’ve gained along the way are ones I will carry with me, both on and off the stage.

The 45-minute opera explores the art of Frida Kahlo as well as themes of courage and family. The opera is appropriate for ages 5-11. In March 2026, Opera Saratoga will produce another children’s opera. Reach out to info@operasaratoga.org to bring the opera to you!

Four remaining public performances include:

Saturday, March 8 at 11AM

Albany Institute of History & Art

125 Washington Ave.

Albany, NY

Free with Admission

Saturday, March 8 at 2PM

Brookside Museum

21 Fairground Ave.

Ballston Spa, NY

Free with Registration

Saturday, March 22 at 11AM

The Hyde Collection

161 Warren Street

Glens Falls, NY

Free

Thursday, March 27 at 11AM

Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

30 2nd St.

Troy, NY

$5 tickets

Please note this is a school matinee.

Opera Saratoga’s education program is funded by the Stewart’s Family Foundation, the Touba Foundation, NYSCA and many other individual donors.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:

Soprano Meghan Kasanders has been hailed by Opera News as “a wonderfully promising, rich dramatic soprano”. In the 23/24 season, she debuted with The Dallas Opera in Elektra (Fünfte Magd) and Dallas Symphony Orchestra for Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln conducted by Fabio Luisi. Meghan also presented a recital produced by Carnegie Hall Citywide in New York City.

In the 22/23 season she made her debut at Virginia Opera in Die Walküre (Sieglinde). Past engagements include returns to Staatsoper Hannover for Hänsel und Gretel (Gertrud), Opera Columbus for Fellow Travelers (Mary Johnson), and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for The Magic Flute (First Lady). On the concert stage she made her debut with the Lubbock Symphony in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

Meghan made her debut at Opera Columbus in Don Giovanni (Donna Anna) and returned to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for Gianni Schicchi (Nella) and Des Moines Metro Opera as guest soloist in A Concert for Robert.

She debuted the title role in Anna Bolena with Baltimore Concert Opera and made her European debut in Hänsel und Gretel (Gertrud) with Staatsoper Hannover. Meghan made her Carnegie Hall debut singing in Bernstein’s Songfest with the Juilliard Orchestra under the direction of Marin Alsop and debuted at Opera Saratoga in their critically acclaimed production of The Consul (Magda). She also performed Sibelius’ Luonnotar, Barbara Hannigan conducting, in Alice Tully Hall (NYC) and Don Giovanni (Donna Anna) at The Juilliard School. Ms. Kasanders is a 2019 Grand Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and both the First Prize and Audience Choice Winner in Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition. She has also been recognized by the Gerda Lissner Foundation, the Opera Birmingham Vocal Competition (Second Prize and Audience Choice), and the Mildred Miller International Voice Competition, where she won first prize in 2017 as the youngest competitor.

Meghan’s training has included past resident artist apprenticeships with International Meistersinger Akademie (Neumarkt, Germany), Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Saratoga, and Dolora Zajick’s Institute for Young Dramatic Voices. Ms. Kasanders holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Simpson College, a Master of Music degree from Rice University, and an Artist Diploma in Opera Studies from The Juilliard School, where she received The Richard F. Gold Career Grant.

ABOUT OPERA SARATOGA:

Opera Saratoga, formerly known as Lake George Opera, began with a production of Die Fledermaus at the Diamond Point Theatre on July 5, 1962, playing to an audience of 230. The Company now calls Saratoga Springs home and performs for more than 25,000 people annually. Opera Saratoga celebrates its 60th Anniversary this season. The company serves the communities of Saratoga Springs, the Lower Adirondack and New York State Capital areas by providing access to world-class opera through the production of an annual Summer Festival, as well as year-round activities including extensive educational programs, mentorship of emerging operatic artists, and unique opportunities for the public to experience opera in both our home theater and non-traditional venues that leverage and embrace the unique cultural, historic, and natural resources of the area. To date, the company has performed 108 different fully staged works by 69 different composers, including 44 works by American composers and 15 premiere productions. Opera Saratoga’s staff includes General and Artistic Director Mary Birnbaum, Executive Director Amanda Robie and the Head of Music Staff and Festival Artist Program, Laurie Rogers. For more information, visit www.operasaratoga.org

ABOUT MARY BIRNBAUM:

Mary Birnbaum is a New York based director of opera and music theater. In 2024, she directed critically acclaimed productions of Rigoletto (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Guys and Dolls (Opera Saratoga), and ÉMIGRÉ (World Premiere, New York Philharmonic). Other credits include new productions of La bohème (Santa Fe Opera), Dido and Aeneas (Juilliard, Opera Holland Park, Opéra de Versailles), L’Orfeo (Juilliard, NYTimes “Best of Classical Music 2021”), Otello (National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan), L’elisir d’amore (National Theater of Costa Rica) and many more. In demand for her skills as a collaborator on new work, Birnbaum has directed world premieres by contemporary artists including Jeremy Denk and Steven Stucky (The Classical Style at Ojai and Carnegie Hall), Frank London and Elise Thoron (Hatuey at Montclair Peak Performances), Mark Campbell and Kristin Kuster (Kept at Virginia Arts Festival). She directed the premiere of Chris Cerrone and Stephanie Fleischmann’s In a Grove at Pittsburgh Opera in 2022, which will play at the Prototype Festival in Jan 2025. On the faculty of The Juilliard School since 2011, Birnbaum serves as the Dramatic Advisor to the MMGD program. She coaches at the Lindemann Young Artists Program at The Metropolitan Opera. In 2023, she became the General and Artistic director of Opera Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, New York. A graduate of Harvard College, Mary Birnbaum trained professionally in physical theater at L’École Jacques Lecoq in Paris.

For more about Opera Saratoga’s 2025 season, visit www.operasaratoga.org.