Pieces of Eight was formed by singers who love both chamber music and opera. When people think of singers, they often think of someone singing by themselves, or perhaps by themselves with “backup singers”, or in a large chorus. But for those with a taste for works such as string quartets and piano trios, there is a small and little-known yet pithy repertoire involving singers which contains the same sorts of delights. Likewise, one-act operas are a relatively neglected corner of the operatic world. The small cast numbers, and concentrated drama, of such works struck us as a fitting complement to vocal chamber music pieces. We have made it our mission to present these little-known gems to our audiences in the San Francisco Bay Area.