+++
date = "2015-09-16T19:11:00-04:00"
discipline = "Stage director"
lastmod = "2015-09-17T18:40:00-04:00"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1442529595794/CAldenSquare.jpg.jpg"
publishDate = "2015-09-17T18:39:00-04:00"
slug = "christopher-alden"
title = "Christopher Alden"
+++

For the past three decades, Christopher Alden has been busy producing opera around the globe, consistently committed to keeping the art form challenging and vital.

In the 2015-16 season, Christopher Alden will stage the Canadian world premiere production of *Pyramus and Thisbe* at the Canadian Opera Company. He then revives his successful production of *Norma* for the English National Opera, followed by his directorial debut of a new *Tristan und Isolde* at Staatstheater Karlsruhe. He returns to Seattle Opera to direct his famous production of *Der fliegende Holländer* and stages a new production of *Sweeney Todd* for the Glimmerglass Festival in the summer of 2016.

Recently, Mr. Alden returned to San Francisco Opera for Handel's *Partenope*, Opera North in Leeds for a double-bill of *La vida breve/Gianni Schicchi*, and Opéra National de Bordeaux for *Norma*. He also staged a new production of *The Rake's Progress* at Theater Braunschweig. Mr. Alden returned to the English National Opera for two productions in the 2013-14 season (*Die Fledermaus* and *Rigoletto*). He revived his highly-acclaimed Norma in Chemnitz and staged *Cosi fan tutte* for the Los Angeles Philharmonic with Gustavo Dudamel conducting. He also directed a new production of *Il turco in Italia* for Aix-en-Provence which was then seen at Teatro Regio in Torino.

Mr. Alden opened the 2012-13 season with a new production of Johann Strauss’ *Die Fledermaus* for the Canadian Opera Company, where he returned later in the season for another new production of Mozart’s *La Clemenza di Tito*. In the fall of 2012, Portland audiences had the opportunity to see his highly-acclaimed production of Mozart’s *Don Giovanni*. In the spring of 2013, Mr. Alden returned to New York City Opera to direct a new production of Offenbach’s *La Périchole*, followed by a newly- staged production of *Le nozze di Figaro* for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, in collaboration with Gustavo Dudamel and Paris set/costume design team Jean Nouvel and Azzedine Alaia. Mr. Alden finished the season in Europe, where he directed a production of Britten’s *Peter Grimes* for Staatstheater Karlsruhe.

Born in New York City, Mr. Alden's long and varied career has included many directorial engagements in North America and abroad, where he works regularly with the most distinguished companies in the United States. Past highlights of his illustrious career include *Norma* (Opera North); *Così fan tutte*, *Don Giovanni* and *A Quiet Place* (New York City Opera); *A Midsummer Night’s Dream* (English National Opera and Stanislavsky Theatre, Moscow); *Les contes d’Hoffmann* (Santa Fe Opera); *Partenope* (English National Opera and Opera Australia); *Les contes d’Hoffmann, L’incoronazione di Poppea, I vespri siciliani*, and *Das verratene Meer* (San Francisco Opera); *La clemenza di Tito* (Chicago Opera Theater); *Der fliegende Holländer*, *Le nozze di Figaro* and *Wozzeck* (Dallas Opera); *La Traviata*, *Madama Butterfly*, and *Harvey Milk* (Houston Grand Opera); *Aida* (Deutsche Oper Berlin); *The Makropulos Case* (Prague National Theatre); *Idomeneo* (Grand Théâtre de Genève); and *Djamileh* (Opéra National de Lyon).

Mr. Alden’s production of Handel’s *Partenope* has been awarded the prestigious Olivier Award for Best UK opera production of 2008/09 as well as Australia’s prestigious Helpmann award for Best Opera in 2011.
