About
“Thanks to Crystal Manich’s probing, cogent direction… The intimacy of the space helped Manich and her cast enact the story with an unsentimental subtlety I’ve rarely seen."
Opera News
Crystal Manich
is an Emmy Award nominated, versatile Latiné international creative director and writer whose works for stage, film, and circus have been seen across the United States, Europe, Argentina, and Australia. She has held several Artistic Director positions as well as having served as adjunct faculty at UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and Rider University, and is a commissioned librettist. She is represented by United Talent Agency. Scroll down to see more projects and upcoming releases. Photo: Zach Mendez
Manich has a full 2025-2026 season that includes THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO; a remount of her production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF for Austin Opera; FALSTAFF at Pittsburgh Opera; and THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA for her debut at Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Furthermore, Manich will direct the world premiere of her opera TIME TO ACT, composed by Laura Kaminsky, at Pittsburgh Opera in February 2026. Click HERE to read more about these projects.
CRYSTAL MANICH has been hailed by the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other major publications for “lively” and “imaginative staging.” As a Latiné creative leader and manager in the performing and filmic arts, Manich is dedicated to making vibrant entertainment and cultural experiences.
As a writer, Manich wrote the libretto and will direct the world premiere of TIME TO ACT with composer Laura Kaminsky about gun violence in schools for Pittsburgh Opera in 2026. She is currently writing TRIÂNGULO, a multi-lingual crossover opera about a female breaking through the glass ceiling of the 1990’s world of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, composed by Latin Grammy nominee Martin Bejerano, for which she will direct the anticipated world premiere in 2027. In 2024 she wrote and directed the large-scale circus show E’vol for the first-ever art biennale in Luxembourg.
Her film work includes the critically acclaimed world premiere opera feature film THE COPPER QUEEN, for which she won Best First Time Female Filmmaker from the 2021 Toronto International Women Film Festival. She also received a 2021 Chicago Emmy nomination for her direction of the live multi-cam livestream of Daniel Catán’s Spanish language opera LA HIJA DE RAPPACCINI at the Field Museum for Chicago Opera Theater. She has directed several music videos. Her latest short film, AUTUMN & SUMMER is making the rounds in the film festival circuit. In 2020, Crystal was a fellow with both the National Association of Latino Independent Producers Latino Lens Workshop and the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures Leadership Institute.
Over the last two decades, Manich has directed over 90 stage productions of opera, musical theater, plays, and circus with various companies worldwide including: Buenos Aires Lírica (Argentina), Pinchgut Opera (Australia), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Nashville Children’s Theater, Utah Opera, Austin Opera, Spoleto Festival USA, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Cincinnati Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera San José, Virginia Opera, Opera Columbus, Opera Roanoke, Lyric Opera Baltimore, Bay View Festival, American Opera Projects, Arizona Opera, North Carolina Opera, Opera Omaha, Boston Lyric Opera, Odyssey Opera, and Opera Montana. Manich served as Artistic Director of Mill City Summer Opera in Minneapolis having previously served as Founding Co-Artistic Director for Opera Omnia in New York. She was Assistant Artistic Director for QUIDAM in Brazil with Cirque du Soleil and served as Artistic Director of Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL North American and Middle East tours. She has been an artist in residence at Carnegie Mellon University, Boston University, Indiana University Bloomington, New England Conservatory, Rice University, and Simpson College. She served as adjunct faculty at the University of California Los Angeles and Westminster Choir College at Rider University. Manich holds Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama and Master’s in Arts Management degrees from Carnegie Mellon University. She also holds a Professional Certificate in Screenwriting from UCLA School for Theater, Film and Television. Born to Puerto Rican parents, Manich makes her permanent home in Puerto Rico.
