ADA Artist Management & Representation

Biography

“…He [Heggie] draws on an unusually wide range of sources, from shades of Philip Glass to echoes of John Williams. At times, the score (expertly conducted by Joseph Mechavich) sounded cinematic, which seems exactly the point of this production…”[Moby Dick]    - San Diego Union Times

Regarded as a conductor of authority and warmth, Joseph Mechavich is known for his exceptional artistry and infectious energy which he brings to every performance. In the 2011-12 season, Maestro Mechavich presided over two highly anticipated, and highly acclaimed performances of Jake Heggie’s new opera Moby Dick at both San Diego Opera and Calgary Opera.  He also enjoyed two successful debuts conducting Floyd’s Susannah for The Florentine Opera and Gounod’s Roméo and Juliette for Florida Grand Opera.

Recently Maestro Mechavich has conducted Il barbiere di Siviglia for The Washington National Opera, Porgy and Bess for Deutsche Oper Berlin and Madama Butterfly for New York City Opera. This summer he will debut with Opera Saratoga in Lucia di Lammermoor.  In the 2013-14 season Maestro will return to Kentucky Opera in La Boheme, Dayton Opera for Tosca, Florentine Opera for La traviata and Calgary Opera for Madame Butterfly.  In the 2012-13 he returned to Kentucky Opera for both Tosca and Don Giovanni, Dayton Opera for Lucia di Lammermoor; as well as made his debut at Madison Opera for Don Giovanni and Intermountain Opera for Roméo et Juliette. Maestro Mechavich returns to San Diego Opera in 2015 for Nixon in China.

Critical acclaim abounds for Maestro Mechavich: “…Joseph Mechavich wrapped the whole performance in a kind of musically magic aura that resulted in one of the very best all-round productions ever…”  Opera News (L’Elisir d’amore, Dayton Opera); “…Joseph Mechavich… was in emotional sync with Gounod’s rich swelling melodies…” Sun-Sentinel (Roméo et Juliette, Florida Grand Opera). In past season has conducted highly recognized productions for Utah Opera, The Aspen Music Festival, Tulsa Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Sugar Creek Festival, Pine Mountain Music Festival, Mill City Summer Opera, Oberlin Opera Theatre, Lake George Opera Festival, Virginia Opera, Fargo-Moorhead Opera and Spokane Opera.

On the concert stage, Joseph Mechavich has appeared with the Florida Orchestra, The Oberlin Chamber Orchestra, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Hartford Symphony, Waterbury Symphony, Virginia Symphony and the Sarasota Orchestra. He has collaborated on ballet productions with the Orlando Ballet, Nutmeg Ballet (CT), and Sarasota Ballet. A frequent recitalist, Mechavich has worked as a pianist in partnership with members of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Virginia Symphony and the Orlando Philharmonic.

In 2010 Maestro Mechavich was named Principal Conductor and Music Director for Kentucky Opera and has held the position of Principal Conductor for Opera Birmingham from 2004-10 as well as Director of Music for Orlando Opera from 1998-2000 and Cover Conductor for The Santa Fe Opera from 2004-2007. A native of Long Lake, Minnesota, Joseph Mechavich studied at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and the Yale University School of Music.