ANDREW SINCLAIR

Opera Stage Director

ABOUT ANDREW

Andrew Sinclair is an internationally-recognised opera stage director with more than 30 years’ experience in major opera houses in Europe, North America and Australia – including ROH Covent Garden, New York City Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera, Washington National Opera, Opera de Montreal and Opera Australia.

Andrew’s long association with ROH Covent Garden includes revivals of major productions, as well as assisting acclaimed directors including Franco Zeffirelli, John Copley, Goetz Freidrich, Harry Kupfer and Elijah Moshinsky.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Resident Staff Director

ROH Covent Garden

Freelance Director

 

Lecturer

 

Major revivals include:

  • Tosca (2003, 2004, 2009, 2013, 2014)
  • Der Rosenkavalier (2004, 2009)
  • Katya Kabanova (2007)
  • Ariadne auf Naxos (2008)
  • La Traviata (2015, 2016)
  • Werther (2011, 2016)
  • Turandot (2013, 2017)

ROH productions abroad:

  • Lohengrin – Buenos Aires (1991), San Diego (2000), Chicago (2011)
  • Peter Grimes – Savonlinna (1998)
  • I Masnadieri – Bologna (2003)

Productions include:

 

  • La Boheme – Opera Australia (1981), Singapore Lyric Opera (2010)
  • Le Nozze di Figaro – Seattle Opera (1989)
  • Aida – San Diego Opera (2001, 2013), Singapore Lyric Opera (2018)
  • The Pearl Fishers – San Diego Opera (2004), plus revivals at:
    Opera Theatre of Michigan, San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera de Montreal,
    Lyric Opera of Chicago
  • Madame Butterfly – Opera Queensland (and most major Australian companies, 1997), Singapore Lyric Opera (2013)
  • Salome – Lyric Opera of Singapore (2011), Pittsburgh Opera (2016)
  • L’Incoronazione di Poppea and Le Nozze di Figaro – Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts (2011, 2014)
  • L’Elisir d’Amore – Indiana University (2007)
Universities include:

  • Royal College of Music
  • Royal Academy of Music
  • National Opera Studio, Longon
  • The Melba Opera Trust, Melbourne
  • Jette Parker Young Artists Programme, ROH
  • Melbourne University
  • Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts

Andrew is also regularly called upon by young artists and established singers for character work on roles to be performed or auditioned.

The Pearl Fishers – Lyric Opera of Chicago 2017. © Todd Rosenberg Photography.
Sets and Costumes: Zandra Rhodes
Choreography: John Malashock
Lighting: Ron Vodicka

“Stage director Andrew Sinclair and the cast make this the most memorable La Bohème in years, fully capturing the joie de vivre and passion that defines the bohemian life-style, stoking a mystique that is often absent.”

– Bob Bows, Colorado Drama
November 2015

La Bohème

 

“The chorus scenes were lively and colourful, with director Andrew Sinclair’s attention to the minutiae of details being particularly delightful.”

– Chang Tou Liang, The Straits Times
February 2013

Madama Butterfly

“Andrew Sinclair of the Royal Opera House, Convent Garden, once again performed remarkably in his role as the opera’s Director … Sinclair was highly effective in serving the piece, by keeping the focus wholly on the singers, without overwhelming the audience with excessive movement or exquisite design.”

– Anirudh Krishnan, Kentridge Common
February 2013

Madama Butterfly

“The show’s latest run (rehearsed by Andrew Sinclair) is excellent in every respect.”

– Rupert Christiansen, Daily Telegraph
January 2017

La traviata

“Its latest revival, overseen by Andrew Sinclair, is among its finest, notable above all for its focused dramatic integrity and subtlety of insight.”

– Tim Ashley, The Guardian
January 2017

La traviata

“(Sinclair) supervised the enormous spectacle efficiently, keeping the numerous scenes seamlessly flowing into each other with ease and integrating the symbolic backdrop with believable action from the characters.”

– Erica Miner, Opera Pulse
April 2013

Aida

READING THE SCORE

Reading the Score is Andrew’s professional training for singers, encouraging them to get inside the role to discover what lies behind it in terms of drama.

Whether it be interpretation of an aria, preparing for an audition, or developing a complete role, these sessions are designed to explore the operatic character working with text and music.

“Over the years I have discovered that singers, whether experienced or new to the profession, can look at a score and not discover what lies behind it in terms of drama – whether it be the basics of the libretto and historical context, or simply what the music makes them feel – and what gives them a gut reaction to the character.

Most directors are less interested in a singer who presents themselves as a blank canvas.

It is far more interesting for a director to have a singer who offers something in terms of character (whether the director agrees or not) both musically and dramatically.”

- Andrew Sinclair

CONTACT

You can contact Andrew here and enquire about his Reading the Score program.

For booking enquiries please see the Management page.

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All photography of Andrew Sinclair by Frances Marshall at Marshall Light Studio, except where otherwise stated.