Jake Landau (he/him), b. 1995, is an American composer of opera, musical theater, ballet, and instrumental music. His works have been performed by the New York Philharmonic, Houston Grand Opera, and Premiere Division Ballet in venues as diverse as Carnegie Hall, Birdland Jazz Club, and the Royal Palace of Amsterdam.
For many composers, writing for the voice draws out their most expressive, artful, and experimental music. It is the most rewarding of all instruments to write for—and the most challenging. The New Voice Composers Studio, directed by Jake Landau, offers early career composers the valuable experience of working directly with singers on their own music.
Guided by our composition and vocal faculty, each composer works with a small group of singers and instrumentalists to workshop and premiere a two-character scene. Composers additionally receive lectures, masterclasses, and private lessons on their music and attend the rehearsals, stagings, and performance of their original work.
Now in its fifth season, the 96-Hour Opera Project celebrates the artistry of emerging creative talents and offers a path into the art of opera. This year, the 96-Hour Opera Project will form the beating heart of our first-ever NOW Festival. The festival will include the 96-Hour Opera Project.
Featuring the world premiere of "Passing Golden", a new 10-minute opera by composer Jake Landau and librettist Darius Buckley.
Sat, Jun 13, 2026 @ 7:30pm
96-Hour Opera Project
Heartbeat Opera's "The Duel" gathers some of the most distinct voices spanning contemporary Opera and Musical Theater today. Featuring writers Reese Anderson, Mark Campbell, Christian De Gré Cárdenas, Susan Kander, Jake Landau, Nevada Lozano, Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, Kamala Sankaram, and Dan Schlosberg, this concert commissions different musical responses to the same prompt, presenting them all at 54 Below.
Following their recent collaboration on Mark Campbell's one-man musical Songs From An Unmade Bed, Jake and Mark pair up again for "The Duel", this time in the realm of opera.

Jake Landau's music is published by Just A Theory Press.To request a quote or a score you don't yet see listed on the site, please visit the link below.
JATP Contact FormJake Landau's music is published by Just A Theory Press.To request a quote or a score you don't yet see listed on the site, please visit the link below.
