Spotlight on Eugene Salandra
Opera Italia highlights musicians, artists and creators who contribute to our Opera Community
Opera Italia's Founder and Producer, Francesca Taylor, got to know Eugene from singing in choir together. It was so fun to learn that his talents as an animator coincide with his musical gifts ~ the perfect combination for storytelling, which is what all great opera is about ~
Dynamic
Animator
Opera Italia features this season the artist Eugene Salandra, who lives and works in Los Angeles. An Italian-American native of New Jersey, he earned a BFA in Film and Television at New York University, and studied figure drawing at the Art Students' League of New York.
Style of action and gentleness
Eugene has worked for three decades as an animation artist in television, film, and internet. His style and approach have been influenced by mentors John Canemaker and the late Tissa David.
Cartoon characters for Opera!
He has also spent time as a Benedictine monk. Eugene created the colorful cartoon characters for Opera Italia’s production of PINOCCHIO in 2023, and now he brings us the bright personalities of The Magic Flute for the 2025 summer camp theme.
For our upcoming opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors, in Nov - Dec, 2025, Eugene is back again with endearing animations that brighten the musical story....
