About the Artist

CRYSTAL MANICH (Director, Writer, Producer) has been hailed by the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other major publications for “lively” and “imaginative staging.” As a Latine creative leader and manager in the performing and filmic arts, Manich is dedicated to making vibrant entertainment and cultural experiences.

Manich is currently writing two opera libretti: TIME TO ACT about gun violence in schools for a world premiere in 2026 with composer Laura Kaminsky; and TRIÂNGULO, a multi-lingual opera about the first female world champion of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu composed by Latin Grammy nominee Martin Bejerano.

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. Stage work includes the world premiere play RETURN TO SENDER with Nashville Children’s Theater about Mexican immigration as well as director for the world premiere of the opera SOUTHERN CROSSINGS in New York in 2022. 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 regional Chicago Emmy nomination for her direction of the 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.

Over the last two decades, Manich has directed over 85 stage productions of opera, musical theater, and plays 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, 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, North Carolina Opera, Opera Omaha, Boston Lyric Opera, Odyssey Opera, and Intermountain Opera.

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 is currently serving as Artistic Director of Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL. She has been an artist in residence at Carnegie Mellon University, Boston University, Indiana University Bloomington, New England Conservatory, and Simpson College. She has 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. Born to Puerto Rican parents, Manich makes her current home in Puerto Rico.