Malena Dayen

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Malena Dayen is an Argentinian opera singer and director and a 2022-23 Princeton Hodder Fellow. She won the 1st Prize in Catapult Opera’s competition for innovation in opera for her video of Wallen’s The Silent Twins and directed Teatro Grattacielo’s Fedora and Mefistofele video productions that were selected to the international festivals of Munich, London and Bali. Dayen directed El Amor Brujo and L’Amico Fritz at LaMama in 2021. She also co-created The Presence of Odradek, a new opera performed live online in May 2020.

As creative director of Bare Opera, Dayen directed Piazzolla’s Maria de Buenos Aires, Don Giovanni, Heroes of New York and The Late Walk that was inducted into The Library of Congress’ Performing Arts COVID-19 Response Collection. She recently directed and performed in Firesongs, a new piece by Thomas Cabaniss that premiered at Chelsea Factory in collaboration with National Sawdust in New York City.

Upcoming projects include directing productions of Romeo et Juliette, Carmen and Frida with Opera Naples, Aida at Fort Worth Opera, and a residency with Elefantteateret in Norway as part of the development of a new opera for babies. Dayen is also working on two adaptations: a new opera based on "El Hombre Sirena," a short story by 2022 National Book Award-winning writer Samanta Schweblin, and an adaptation of Donizetti's Anna Bolena.

Bare Opera’s Firesongs, composed by Thomas Cabaniss and directed by Malena Dayen  — National Sawdust at Chelsea Factory at 5:30 + 8 PM on June 18, 2022

Bare Opera 2022 Review: Thomas Cabaniss’ ‘FireSongs’ | OperaWire, June 25, 2022

Dayen directs Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet at Opera Naples — December 2022

Dayen directs Carmen at Opera Naples — March 2023

Dayen directs Frida at Opera Naples — April 2023

Residency with Elefantteateret in Norway to create luzAzul, a new opera for babies — January 2023

luzAzul, an immersive operatic experience for babies — June 7-8, 2023, at Chelsea Factory, 547 West 26th Street, New York, NY. View photos from luzAzul