Project Camino

Mexican based Pilgrim Joseph McClain walked the Camino Frances in 2017 and began his career as a tenor on American and German opera stages. During his 10 years of activity in Germany, he made the transition to stage direction, directing a wide range of British, German, and American plays in the German theater.     McClain is the founding general director of Austin Lyric Opera, and from 1987 to 2002 he guided the growth of a company known as the “Wunderkind” of young American operas. During that time the company grew to a $5.5 million annual operating budget playing each season to over 40,000 attendees. Under his leadership the company launched important new artistic initiatives including the co-commissioning of major new American works.  In 2000 McClain established the Armstrong Community Music School as a branch of the company’s educational program and in the same year completed the construction of a new $5 million administrative, educational and rehearsal complex designed by Lake Flato architects.   Since 2