Sofía Cancino de Cuevas first quartet for strings, catalogued as Op. 1. In 1940, she received an honorable mention for her symphonic poem "El gallo en Pátzcuaro" for orchestra and male choir, in a contest organized by UNAM. In 1941 she directed the presentation of Mozart's "Don Giovanni" at the Arbeu theater, with the participation of singers (baritone), Carlos Mejía (tenor), and Margarita Cueto (soprano), among others. This made her Mexico's first female conductor. In 1944 she founded the Opera School, with which she conducted "La serva padrona" by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, "Bastien und Bastienne" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and "Il matrimonio segreto" by
Vienna State Opera of the Staatsoper. Recent examples include "Peter Pan", "" ("The Dream Gobbler"), "Der 35. Mai" ("The 35th of May"), C. F. E. Horneman's "Aladdin", "Bastien und Bastienne" and "Wagners Nibelungenring für Kinder" ("Wagner's Ring for children"). In addition to this, there is a production of "The Magic Flute" every year for 9- and 10-year-olds, decorated like the Opernball. The opera house also has an opera school for boys and girls between the ages of eight and fourteen, which takes place in the afternoons after regular school. The children are introduced to music theatre and the prospect of becoming opera singers.