John Fisher (opera director)
Encyclopedia
John Fisher is a Scottish opera director, conductor
, opera manager, vocal coach
, and record producer
. The former Artistic Administrator of La Scala
in Milan, he has served as the Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the Welsh National Opera
(WNO) since May 2006. He has worked as a record producer of opera
recordings for both Deutsche Grammophon
and Decca Records
, and has collaborated with opera director Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
on several opera films for Unitel Films.
, Fisher is a graduate of the London Opera Centre
, the Royal Academy of Music
, and the University of Glasgow
. In 1972 he joined the staff of the WNO as Music Director of "Opera For All", a program dedicated to making opera more accessible to modern audiences. From 1973-1975 he worked as a repetiteur, vocal coach, and Music Director of the Opera Studio at La Monnaie
in Brussels. He then worked on the music staff at the De Nederlandse Opera
in Amerstdam from 1975-1977.
In 1977 Fisher was appointed the Head of Music Staff at La Scala
in Milan. From 1981-1988 be served as La Scala's Artistic Administrator, and from 1983–1988 he worked as a consultant for the Rossini Opera Festival
in Pesaro. In 1989 he became the first non-Italian to serve as Artistic Director of La Fenice
in Venice. He left that post in 1994 to join the staff of Deutsche Grammophon
as an Executive Producer and Director of Opera and Vocal Productions. He remained in that post until 1997 when he was hired by the Metropolitan Opera
of New York City as the company's Director of Music Administration, a position he remained in until becoming General Director of the WNO in 2006.
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, opera manager, vocal coach
Vocal coach
A vocal coach is a music teacher who instructs singers on how to improve their singing technique, take care of and develop their voice, and prepare for the performance of a song or other work. Vocal coaches may give private music lessons to singers, or they may coach singers who are rehearsing on...
, and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. The former Artistic Administrator of La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
in Milan, he has served as the Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the Welsh National Opera
Welsh National Opera
Welsh National Opera is an opera company founded in Cardiff, Wales in 1943. The WNO tours Wales, the United Kingdom and the rest of the world extensively. Annually, it gives more than 120 performances of eight main stage operas to a combined audience of around 150,000 people...
(WNO) since May 2006. He has worked as a record producer of opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
recordings for both Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label which was the foundation of the future corporation to be known as PolyGram. It is now part of Universal Music Group since its acquisition and absorption of PolyGram in 1999, and it is also UMG's oldest active label...
and Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, and has collaborated with opera director Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Jean-Pierre Ponnelle was a noted French opera director.-Biography:Ponnelle was born in Paris. He studied philosophy, art, and history there and, in 1952, began his career in Germany as a theatre designer for Hans Werner Henze's opera Boulevard Solitude...
on several opera films for Unitel Films.
Life and career
Born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Fisher is a graduate of the London Opera Centre
London Opera Centre
The London Opera Centre, a school for the training of opera singers and other opera professionals, existed in England between 1963 and 1977. It was located in the former Troxy Cinema on Commercial Road in London's East End Borough of Stepney . The Troxy, with 3,520 seats, opened in 1933 and was...
, the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
, and the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
. In 1972 he joined the staff of the WNO as Music Director of "Opera For All", a program dedicated to making opera more accessible to modern audiences. From 1973-1975 he worked as a repetiteur, vocal coach, and Music Director of the Opera Studio at La Monnaie
La Monnaie
Le Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie , or the Koninklijke Muntschouwburg is a theatre in Brussels, Belgium....
in Brussels. He then worked on the music staff at the De Nederlandse Opera
De Nederlandse Opera
De Nederlandse Opera , in Amsterdam, is a Dutch opera company based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its present home base is the Het Muziektheater, a modern building designed by Cees Dam which opened in 1986....
in Amerstdam from 1975-1977.
In 1977 Fisher was appointed the Head of Music Staff at La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
in Milan. From 1981-1988 be served as La Scala's Artistic Administrator, and from 1983–1988 he worked as a consultant for the Rossini Opera Festival
Rossini Opera Festival
The Rossini Opera Festival is an opera festival held in August of each year in Pesaro, Italy, the birthplace of the opera composer Gioachino Rossini....
in Pesaro. In 1989 he became the first non-Italian to serve as Artistic Director of La Fenice
La Fenice
Teatro La Fenice is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many famous operatic premieres. Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to "rise from the ashes" despite losing the use of two theatres...
in Venice. He left that post in 1994 to join the staff of Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label which was the foundation of the future corporation to be known as PolyGram. It is now part of Universal Music Group since its acquisition and absorption of PolyGram in 1999, and it is also UMG's oldest active label...
as an Executive Producer and Director of Opera and Vocal Productions. He remained in that post until 1997 when he was hired by the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
of New York City as the company's Director of Music Administration, a position he remained in until becoming General Director of the WNO in 2006.
Recordings
| Year | Work | Cast | Conductor, Opera House and/or Orchestra |
Notes | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Rinaldo Rinaldo (opera) Rinaldo is an opera by George Frideric Handel composed in 1711. It is the first Italian language opera written specifically for the London stage. The libretto was prepared by Giacomo Rossi from a scenario provided by Aaron Hill. The work was first performed at the Queen's Theatre in London's... George Frideric Handel George Frideric Handel George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music... |
Marilyn Horne Marilyn Horne Marilyn Horne is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer. She specialized in roles requiring a large sound, beauty of tone, excellent breath support, and the ability to execute difficult coloratura passages.... , Cecilia Gasdia Cecilia Gasdia -Biography:Cecilia Gasdia studied music and piano at the Conservatorio di Verona, graduating in 1980. That same year she won the first prize in the "New Voices for Opera" competition dedicated to Maria Callas... , Christine Weidinger Christine Weidinger Christine Weidinger is an American operatic soprano who has had an active international career in operas and concerts since the early 1970s. Her career started at the Metropolitan Opera, after which she was active as a resident artist with opera houses in Germany during the late 1970s and 1980s... , Ernesto Palacio Ernesto Palacio Ernesto Palacio is a Peruvian tenor, particularly associated with Rossini and Mozart roles.Palacio first studied theology before turning to music... , Natale de Carolis Natale de Carolis Natale de Carolis is an Italian operatic baritone who has had an active career in major opera houses internationally since the early 1980s. He is particularly associated with the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Gioachino Rossini. He is married to soprano Barbara Frittoli.Born in Anagni,... |
John Fisher John Fisher (opera director) John Fisher is a Scottish opera director, conductor, opera manager, vocal coach, and record producer. The former Artistic Administrator of La Scala in Milan, he has served as the Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the Welsh National Opera since May 2006... , Orchestra of La Fenice La Fenice Teatro La Fenice is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many famous operatic premieres. Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to "rise from the ashes" despite losing the use of two theatres... |
Live recording from June 1989 which was first released in 1992 and re-issued in 2009 | Nuova Era |