"Wilkie has an excellent and refined understanding of the pace, timing and quality of opera... the interplay between his craft and what's happening in the orchestra pit is stunning."
- Jessica Baron, The New Zealand Hook
(Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci, 2020)
(Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci, 2020)
A B O U T
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DIRECTING
John Leo Wilkie, from Scotland, is a director of opera and theatre. Working internationally, his productions have been staged in the UK, Europe, and New Zealand. Selected previous directing credits include new productions for companies such as New Zealand Festival Opera (La traviata, 2019; Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci, 2020; The Cunning Little Vixen, 2022), Opera Holland Park (Il segreto di Susanna, 2019; The Bear, 2021),Danish National Opera (La Cenerentola, 2016), Classical Opera (Bauci e Filemone/Orfeo, 2019), Wiltons Music Hall (Die Fledermaus, 2018), and Popup Opera (La tragédie de Carmen, 2018). John's work has been supported by The National lottery, Creative Scotland, and The Arts Council, England. For more directing credit info click here |
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His production of Il segreto di Susanna at Opera Holland Park was described by The Spectator as being:
"So perfect, so spirited, so loving... it's probably never had a UK production more affectionate than John Wilkie's new staging." It was nominated for Best Production at The International Opera Awards 2021, and The Times and The Stage named it as one of the best opera productions of 2019. The same team behind it got together during lockdown in 2021 to film a production of Walton's The Bear over 4 days. More info |
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UPCOMING
In 2022/23 John will direct new productions of Trouble in Tahiti at Den Fynske Opera in Denmark, and The Magic Flute at New Zealand Festival Opera. He is honored to have been asked to curate and present Sharing the Dream - a gala concert celebrating the life and career of international soprano, Dame Malvina Major, this October. |
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ARTISTIC TEAM
NEW ZEALAND FESTIVAL OPERA / PROJECT PRIMA VOLTA John has recently joined the New Zealand Festival Opera artistic team as Principal Stage Director, after directing celebrated productions of La traviata (2019), Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci (2020), and The Cunning Little Vixen (2022) for the company. This coming 22/23 season, he will direct a new production of Die Zauberflöte. Festival Opera connects with Project Prima Volta, a music program for local teenagers, which promotes social inclusion through music and performance. Each year, the Prima Volta students take part in the chorus for Festival Opera's mainstage productions as well as embarking on their own productions and concerts. |
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FOUNDING MEMBER
OPERA BOHEMIA In his homeland of Scotland, he is a founding member of acclaimed, 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. |
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DRAMATIC / STAGECRAFT COACH
John works as a dramatic coach, directing productions, and facilitating stagecraft workshops with the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at The Royal Opera House, Scottish Opera Young Artists, Garsington Opera's Alvarez Young Artist Programme, New Zealand Opera Young Artists, Opera North Youth Chorus, The Southrepps Music Festival, London Goldsmiths University, and New Zealand’s celebrated Project Prima Volta students. He recognises the opera as a tool - it's not just about performing - the art form plays a vital role in the development of our younger generations, helping them build on range of social, interpersonal, and confidence skills. |
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SUPPORTIVE ROLES
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, New York City Opera, Danish National Opera, Garsington Opera, Scottish Opera, Opera Holland Park, Opera North, Welsh National Opera, Bampton Classical Opera, and OperaUpClose. |
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"Wilkie is impressively sure-footed... the performance never drops a stitch."
- Peter Reed, Classical Source
(Il segreto di Susanna, 2019)
(Il segreto di Susanna, 2019)