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David Freeman Stage Directors
David Freeman is one of the pioneers of the hugely-significant movement, instrumental in revolutionising the way opera and theatre could be conceived and presented. His legacy still has enormous influence and resonance as we head into the second decade of the New Millennium, and David continues to challenge and redefine dramatic expectation, to the delight of audiences and critics around the world.
Recent highlights have included Gaddafi for ENO, La Bohème for Opera North and a highly-acclaimed Vivaldi project for Garsington Opera in 2008. A busy future schedule includes Carmen in 2010 (at the O2) and Madama Butterfly in 2011 (at the Royal Albert Hall) for Raymond Gubbay. Further projects include a new world-premiere for De Nationale Reisopera in Holland in 2014, two Vivaldi operas for Garsington Opera in 2011 and 2012, with further announcements due shortly.
David Freeman is one of the pioneers of the hugely-significant movement, instrumental in revolutionising the way opera and theatre could be conceived and presented. His legacy still has enormous influence and resonance as we head into the second decade of the New Millennium, and David continues to challenge and redefine dramatic expectation, to the delight of audiences and critics around the world.
Recent highlights have included Gaddafi for ENO, La Bohème for Opera North and a highly-acclaimed Vivaldi project for Garsington Opera in 2008. A busy future schedule includes Carmen in 2010 (at the O2) and Madama Butterfly in 2011 (at the Royal Albert Hall) for Raymond Gubbay. Further projects include a new world-premiere for De Nationale Reisopera in Holland in 2014, two Vivaldi operas for Garsington Opera in 2011 and 2012, with further announcements due shortly.
David Freeman established the original Opera Factory in Sydney in 1973, with Lesley Stephenson and Brenton Langbein, before moving to Zurich in 1976. From there David directed operas, plays with music, rock musicals and operetta, with repertoire ranging from Cavalli to Gilbert and Sullivan, developing not only his skills as a director and writer, but also as an actor and performer. His multi-lingual productions (which included Acis and Galatea and Le Pauvre Matelot) enjoyed remarkable success, touring throughout Switzerland, Australia (Adelaide Arts Festival 1986), the United Kingdom, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary and Germany. In 1993 the company represented Switzerland as part of an international tour celebrating the 700th anniversary of the Swiss Federation, with a new work by leading Swiss composer Rudolf Kelterborn, for which David wrote the libretto.
Settling in London, between 1981 – 1984 David was Associate Artist at ENO, directing Orfeo in 1981 conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner, with other highlights including Philip Glass’ Akhnaten, and the world-premiere of Birtwistle’s The Mask of Orpheus. In 1986 David established The Opera Factory at the South Bank Centre, where the 900 seat Queen Elisabeth Hall had been specially-adapted for the purpose, and the company remained in residence there until 1995.
During this period, David directed over 22 award-winning productions, featuring cutting-edge new work by composers including Birtwistle, Tippett, Maxwell-Davies and Ligeti. His revolutionary new approaches to standard repertoire, including the live broadcast in 1991 of the complete Da Ponte trilogy by Channel Four, set new standards in successfully transferring opera to the television, as well as touring extensively throughout Europe.
David Freeman’s commitment to pushing the boundaries in terms of both technological and dramatic expectation continued with projects including Die Soldaten for ENO in 1996, where he used three simultaneous films during the production. In recognition of his work, he was invited to join the juries of the Film Music Festival Cannes (1993) and Lyon (1995) and continues to work and develop ideas through his company Opera Factory Films, which was founded in 1991.
David Freeman
Date: 13th April 2010
Iford Arts / Xerxes
David Freeman directs Iford Arts' new production of Xerxes, opening 9th July.
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