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 RECENT 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, AND WAS ALSO NAMED AS ONE OF THE BEST OPERA PRODUCTIONS OF 2019 IN THE STAGE AND THE TIMES.
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 RECENT 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, AND WAS ALSO NAMED AS ONE OF THE BEST OPERA PRODUCTIONS OF 2019 IN THE STAGE AND THE TIMES.
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)
TWO CARAVANS | OPERAUPCLOSE | Associate Director (dir. Vincent van den Elshout)
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)
TWO CARAVANS | OPERAUPCLOSE | Associate Director (dir. Vincent van den Elshout)
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)