Michelle Cuizon is a Filipina stage director based in New York City. Michelle is a part of the directing staff at the Metropolitan Opera and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. She also just finished being Opera San Jose’s Resident Stage Director from the 2023 to 2025 seasons. This season, she assistant directed the world premiere of This House by Ricky Ian Gordon and Lynn Nottage at OTSL and assisted on Renee Fleming’s directorial debut with Così Fan Tutte at the Aspen Music Festival.
Opera San Jose gave Michelle her directorial debut when she directed La Bohème last season, and she is excited to be back to direct another of Puccini’s masterpieces with Madama Butterfly.
She will then be back at the Metropolitan Opera this coming winter to assistant direct The Magic Flute and Madama Butterfly into the spring and then head back to OTSL to assistant direct The Light in the Piazza.
During her time as OSJ’s Resident Stage Director, Michelle assisted Shawna Lucey on Romeo & Juliet and Bluebeard’s Castle, Stephen Lawless on Barber of Seville, Dan Wallace Miller on Rigoletto, David Radames Toro on Zorro, and Crystal Manich on Florencia En El Amazonas.
Michelle’s journey in the world of opera directing began as the Bank of America Stage Director Fellow at the Metropolitan Opera for the 2022-2023 season. During the fellowship, she was involved in the new productions of Terrence Blanchard’s Champion and Kevin Puts’ The Hours. She worked on numerous revivals, such as David McVicar’s productions of Tosca and Norma, Bartlett Sher’s production of L’Elixir D’Amore, Graham Vick’s production of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, and the iconic Sonja Frisell’s staging of Aida. Michelle then assistant directed Susannah at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, directed by world-renowned soprano Patricia Racette, joining OTSL’s directing staff. Michelle then returned to the Met, officially joining its directing staff, assisting on The Magic Flute and Tosca last winter.
Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, Michelle grew up singing choral music, then studied classical voice at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. When she and her family moved to New York City back in 2016, Michelle studied theater at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, where she discovered her love for directing. She then continued to hone her directing skills at Southeast Missouri State University, earning her BFA. Michelle enjoys what she does every day, bringing her Filipino roots and her love of opera together to the world.