JOHN LEO WILKIE IS A DIRECTOR OF OPERA AND THEATRE. HE GREW UP IN SCOTLAND WHERE HE TRAINED AS AN ACTOR. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE UNDERTOOK A TRAINEE DIRECTOR PROGRAMME AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE, WAS A YOUNG ARTIST DIRECTOR AT GARSINGTON OPERA AND OPERA HOLLAND PARK, AND ALSO TRAINED EXTENSIVELY WITH COMPLICITE.
NOW BASED IN LONDON, JOHN HAS DIRECTED NEW PRODUCTIONS FOR COMPANIES SUCH AS OPERA HOLLAND PARK, NEW ZEALAND FESTIVAL OPERA, DANISH NATIONAL OPERA, CLASSICAL OPERA, WILTONS MUSIC HALL, POPUP OPERA, AND OPERA BOHEMIA. HIS PRODUCTION OF IL SEGRETO DI SUSANNA, OPERA HOLLAND PARK, IS PART OF A DOUBLE BILL THAT HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR 'BEST PRODUCTION' AT THE INTERNATIONAL OPERA AWARDS 2020.
JOHN WAS RECENTLY APPOINTED PRINCIPAL STAGE DIRECTOR AT NEW ZEALAND FESTIVAL OPERA AND WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF DON GIOVANNI IN 2021.
AS ASSOCIATE, REVIVAL, AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JOHN HAS WORKED WITH, AMONG OTHERS, TIM ALBERY, ALESSANDRO TALEVI, MARIE LAMBERT, WILLIAM TUCKETT AND JAY SCHIEB AT COMPANIES SUCH AS THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, DANISH NATIONAL OPERA, GARSINGTON OPERA, SCOTTISH OPERA, OPERA HOLLAND PARK, OPERA NORTH, WELSH NATIONAL OPERA AND OPERAUPCLOSE.
HE HAS ALSO WORKED AS A DRAMATIC COACH, AND HAS DIRECTED PRODUCTIONS AND SCENES WITH THE OPERA NORTH YOUTH CHORUS, THE SOUTHREPPS MUSIC FESTIVAL, GOLDSMITHS UNIVERSITY, AND PROJECT PRIMA VOLTA IN NEW ZEALAND.
JOHN IS A FOUNDING MEMEBR OF OPERA BOHEMIA, AN OPERA COMPANY DEDICATED TO CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS IN ALL AREAS OF OPERA, AND PRODUCING MORE OPERATIC PERFORMANCES ACROSS SCOTLAND. HE HAS DIRECTED CELEBRATED PRODUCTIONS OF LA BOHÈME, LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, MADAMA BUTTERFLY, EUGENE ONEGIN, AND THE MERRY WIDOW FOR THE COMPANY. ALL OF WHICH HAVE PREMIERED AT THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE BEFORE TOURING NATIONALLY.
JOHN'S WORK HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL LOTTERY, CREATIVE SCOTLAND, AND THE ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND.
NOW BASED IN LONDON, JOHN HAS DIRECTED NEW PRODUCTIONS FOR COMPANIES SUCH AS OPERA HOLLAND PARK, NEW ZEALAND FESTIVAL OPERA, DANISH NATIONAL OPERA, CLASSICAL OPERA, WILTONS MUSIC HALL, POPUP OPERA, AND OPERA BOHEMIA. HIS PRODUCTION OF IL SEGRETO DI SUSANNA, OPERA HOLLAND PARK, IS PART OF A DOUBLE BILL THAT HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR 'BEST PRODUCTION' AT THE INTERNATIONAL OPERA AWARDS 2020.
JOHN WAS RECENTLY APPOINTED PRINCIPAL STAGE DIRECTOR AT NEW ZEALAND FESTIVAL OPERA AND WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF DON GIOVANNI IN 2021.
AS ASSOCIATE, REVIVAL, AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JOHN HAS WORKED WITH, AMONG OTHERS, TIM ALBERY, ALESSANDRO TALEVI, MARIE LAMBERT, WILLIAM TUCKETT AND JAY SCHIEB AT COMPANIES SUCH AS THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, DANISH NATIONAL OPERA, GARSINGTON OPERA, SCOTTISH OPERA, OPERA HOLLAND PARK, OPERA NORTH, WELSH NATIONAL OPERA AND OPERAUPCLOSE.
HE HAS ALSO WORKED AS A DRAMATIC COACH, AND HAS DIRECTED PRODUCTIONS AND SCENES WITH THE OPERA NORTH YOUTH CHORUS, THE SOUTHREPPS MUSIC FESTIVAL, GOLDSMITHS UNIVERSITY, AND PROJECT PRIMA VOLTA IN NEW ZEALAND.
JOHN IS A FOUNDING MEMEBR OF OPERA BOHEMIA, AN OPERA COMPANY DEDICATED TO CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS IN ALL AREAS OF OPERA, AND PRODUCING MORE OPERATIC PERFORMANCES ACROSS SCOTLAND. HE HAS DIRECTED CELEBRATED PRODUCTIONS OF LA BOHÈME, LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, MADAMA BUTTERFLY, EUGENE ONEGIN, AND THE MERRY WIDOW FOR THE COMPANY. ALL OF WHICH HAVE PREMIERED AT THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE BEFORE TOURING NATIONALLY.
JOHN'S WORK HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL LOTTERY, CREATIVE SCOTLAND, AND THE ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND.
SELECTED PAST REVIVAL / ASSOCIATE / ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PROJECTS
GIULIO CESARE | OPERA NORTH | Assistant Director dir. Tim Albery
ISABEAU | NEW YORK CITY OPERA / OPERA HOLLAND PARK | Associate Director dir. Martin Lloyd-Evans
MAMZER BASTARD | THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE | Associate Director dir. Jay Scheib
LA CENERENTOLA | DANISH NATIONAL OPERA | Revival Director dir. Oliver Platt
DON GIOVANNI | OPERA NORTH | Assistant Director dir. Alessandro Talevi
ZAZÀ | OPERA HOLLAND PARK | Associate Director dir. Marie Lambert
L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI | GARSINGTON OPERA | Assistant Director dir. William Tuckett
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST | THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE | Assistant Director dir. Ramin Gray
CARMEN | SCOTTISH OPERA | Assistant Director dir. Patrice Caurier & Moshe Leiser
LAKMÈ | OPERA HOLLAND PARK | Associate Director dir. Aylin Bozok
L'ELISIR D'AMORE | OPERAUPCLOSE | Revival Director
ADRIANA LECOUVREUR | OPERA HOLLAND PARK | Assistant Director dir. Martin Lloyd-Evans
DIE FLEDERMAUS | OPERAUPCLOSE | Assistant Director dir. Robert Chevara
GIULIO CESARE | OPERA NORTH | Assistant Director dir. Tim Albery
ISABEAU | NEW YORK CITY OPERA / OPERA HOLLAND PARK | Associate Director dir. Martin Lloyd-Evans
MAMZER BASTARD | THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE | Associate Director dir. Jay Scheib
LA CENERENTOLA | DANISH NATIONAL OPERA | Revival Director dir. Oliver Platt
DON GIOVANNI | OPERA NORTH | Assistant Director dir. Alessandro Talevi
ZAZÀ | OPERA HOLLAND PARK | Associate Director dir. Marie Lambert
L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI | GARSINGTON OPERA | Assistant Director dir. William Tuckett
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST | THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE | Assistant Director dir. Ramin Gray
CARMEN | SCOTTISH OPERA | Assistant Director dir. Patrice Caurier & Moshe Leiser
LAKMÈ | OPERA HOLLAND PARK | Associate Director dir. Aylin Bozok
L'ELISIR D'AMORE | OPERAUPCLOSE | Revival Director
ADRIANA LECOUVREUR | OPERA HOLLAND PARK | Assistant Director dir. Martin Lloyd-Evans
DIE FLEDERMAUS | OPERAUPCLOSE | Assistant Director dir. Robert Chevara