Matthew Ozawa is a renowned stage director, artistic director and educator who has firmly cemented himself as one of the preeminent creative forces in the opera world today.

He has directed for a number of opera houses and theatres across the nation and has won many awards, honors, and fellowships. He is also a decorated educator, bringing the arts of acting and movement to young minds. A lifetime of hard work and learning the business of the industry from the ground up has led to his founding of MOZAWA, a Chicago-based incubator advancing collaborative art and artists.

In this episode, our host Sasha Foo sat down with Matthew Ozawa to discuss his opera directing career and how he navigates the predominantly white industry as a Japanese-American.