Stacy Brightman and Eli Villanueva

As Vice President for LA Opera Connects, Stacy Brightman is responsible for all aspects of community, engagement and learning programs that serve more than 150,000 students and community members annually. Stacy and her team provide deep access and radical welcome to opera for community members, from toddlers to seniors, by staging community performances and offering free or very low-cost ticket opportunities, through continuing education opportunities such as pre-show lectures and podcasts; by inviting community members to perform on stage to experience opera first-hand; and through school and residencies that integrate opera learning directly within curriculums. She works with more than 200 schools and 300 additional non-profit organizations annually. Stacy has guided four County-wide festivals, which have impacted more than a million Angelenos with performances, exhibits and symposia presented by more than 120 partners. She frequently serves as a grants and conference panelist and was recently selected to serve as one of Opera America's first three female mentors in the inaugural year of its Women's Opera Network mentoring program.Eli Villanueva, a talented and passionate musician, director and educator, is in his 16th year as Resident Stage Director and teaching artist for LA Opera Connects. Eli teaches and directs as many as 2,000 students annually in original productions including, The Acclaimed In-School Operas, Opera Camp Summer Intensive, and LA Opera’s Off Grand Cathedral Project conducted by Music Director, James Conlon.Eli’s compositions are praised for their appeal to audiences and performers alike.  His commissioned works of One-Act operas include THEN I STOOD UP which premiered in 2017, THE WHITE BIRD OF POSTON, FRIEDL and FESTIVAL PLAY OF DANIEL, an adaptation of the 13th-century liturgical play, Play of Daniel. In addition, music ranging from solo to choral works can be found through publishing companies, Fred Bock Music, Laurendale Associates, and Cherry Lane Music.Chapters is a multi-part series concerning the history and the lessons of civil rights violations or civil liberties injustices carried out against communities or populations—including civil rights violations or civil liberties injustices that are perpetrated on the basis of an individual’s race, national origin, immigration status, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.This project was made possible with support from Chapman University and The California Civil Liberties Public Education Program, a state-funded grant project of the California State Library.Guests: Stacy Brightman and Eli VillanuevaHosts: Jon-Barrett Ingels and Jonelle StricklandProduced by: Public Podcasting