July 26, 2026

Catherine Filloux | Julia Schwartz | HIGH HARD HEAT/Dominick Balletta

ALLEGRA & THE CELLO, IN MOVEMENTS, A New Opera

December 10-20, 2026

[Program tbd]

Runtime: 75 minutes

Witness a groundbreaking moment in opera history where the first-ever female doctor to take stage in opera brings to life the story of Allegra.

Set in the tension-filled days before a high-stakes trial, Allegra lets the audience of lawyers into the most vulnerable and difficult moments in her life and career as they navigate her pretrial discovery together.

Through a bold fusion of rhythm, movement, emotion, silence and vibrant colors, Allegra & the Cello, in Movements explores the struggles of a woman who questions and defies law for the sake of humanity. With the music of a single cello guiding Allegra through each scene, this opera challenges tradition in more ways than one. Join Allegra in her discovery–a story of wavering resilience and eternal resistance.

Credits

ALLEGRA & THE CELLO, IN MOVEMENTS
A New Opera

Story and Libretto by Catherine Filloux

Music by Julia Schwartz

Starring
BRITTANY RENEE as ALLEGRA
AKUA DIXON, CELLO

Produced by Dominick Balletta, HIGH HARD HEAT
Directed by Elena Araoz
Set/Lighting Design by Justin Townsend
Projection Design by Milton Cordero
Co-Costume Design by Suttirat Larlarb and Brynne Oster-Bainnson

Press Representatives Katie Rosin and Erin Kramer

Casting Director
Jamibeth Margolis, CSA

The artist

CATHERINE FILLOUX
www.catherinefilloux.com

bio

an award-winning French Algerian American playwright and librettist who has been writing about human rights for many decades. Filloux’s plays and libretti have been produced in the U.S., internationally, and are widely published, anthologized and written about.

JULIA SCHWARTZ
www.juliaschwartz.ch

bio

a composer and conductor who composes pieces of music theater, choral and orchestral works, vocal and instrumental chamber music, art songs, and works for solo instruments. Her works have been performed around the world.

BRITTANY RENNEE (Allegra)

bio

GRAMMY Award-winning soprano Brittany Renee has affirmed her status as a rising star destined for a luminous future. This season, Mrs. Renee débuts with Boston Lyric Opera as Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire. Last season, she returned to The Metropolitan Opera as her esteemed Bess in Porgy & Bess following her successful run at Washington National Opera.

AKUA DIXON (Cellist)

bio

Cellist-Composer-Conductor-Educator, Akua Dixon has been at the forefront of string players since 1973. She is the first cellist to win the Downbeat Critics Poll. A multi laureate of the National Endowment for the Arts in composition and performance, she has toured the world with her Grammy Award-winning string quartet, Quartette Indigo. She has performed with Duke Ellington, Max Roach, Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, etc.