David Freeman

Director

The Australian director David Freeman is working at Oper Frankfurt for the first time, directing his production of Handel's Messiah, which was first performed in 2012 at the Royal Opera in Copenhagen. Engagements later this year include a production of Alan John's Sydney Opera House – The Opera (The Eighth Wonder), in Australia. Recent projects have included the world premiere of a Chinese musical in Wuhan, China, Romeo and Juliet in the West End, a cycle of Vivaldi operas at Garsington Opera, Zangoora (a musical) in New Dehli and spectacular productions of Carmen and Madama Butterfly in the Royal Albert Hall. His production of Prokofiev's The Firey Angel, first seen at the Marinskij Theatre in St. Petersburg, was also staged at other theatres, including the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York and San Francisco Opera. He also directed Glass' Akhnaten at Houston Grand Opera, the first performances of the work in the US, Wozzeck at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels and seven productions at English National Opera in London, including the world premiere of Birtwistle's The Mask of Orpheus. He founded Opera Factory in Zurich in 1976, which moved to London in 1981. No fewer than twenty productions came into being in these experimental »opera work shops«. Plays staged by David Freeman have included Goethe's Faust at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith, A Winter’s Tale at the Globe Theatre and he has directed many films. He is a »Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres«.