Works & Process will present Opera Philadelphia for a preview performance of Complications in Sue, a new opera by Pulitzer Prize– and Tony Award–winning playwright Michael R. Jackson, on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at the Guggenheim Museum.
The event begins at 7 p.m. at the Peter B. Lewis Theater, located at 1071 Fifth Ave., and offers audiences an early look at the production ahead of its world premiere at Opera Philadelphia in February. Tickets start at $25.
Complications in Sue marks Jackson’s first opera libretto and traces the life of a woman named Sue across 10 decades. Each chapter of Sue’s story is scored by a different composer, creating a collaborative work that brings together one librettist, one actor, four singers and 10 composers to reimagine how opera can be made.
The creative team includes Opera Philadelphia regulars Missy Mazzoli, Rene Orth and Nico Muhly, alongside company debuts from composers such as Grammy-nominated Nathalie Joachim. The production stars MacArthur Fellow and cabaret performer Justin Vivian Bond, with direction by Zack Winokur and Raja Feather Kelly. Caren Levine will conduct, making her Opera Philadelphia debut.
The Works & Process program will blend performance excerpts with a moderated discussion featuring Jackson, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Winokur and Kelly, offering insight into the development of the opera and its unconventional structure.
The preview is part of Works & Process’ ongoing series highlighting new and in-progress works by leading artists across disciplines at the Guggenheim.
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