Sean Doran
Encyclopedia
Seán Doran is an artistic director working in today's international arts world.
After commencing a career as a clarinettist and conductor of a music-theatre company in London, of which Sir Simon Rattle was Patron (1985-90), Doran was appointed to directorships of four major international arts festivals (1991-2003).
These included:
- Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the UK Year of Literature 1995 (Wales), the world's largest ever literature festival.
- Artistic Director of the Belfast Festival at Queens, Ireland's largest multi-arts festival (1997 & 1998).
- Festival Director of the Perth International Arts Festival, Australia's largest multi-arts festival (2000-2003).
At the age of 42, Seán Doran was appointed Artistic Director & Chief Executive of English National Opera
(from 2003), the first Irishman ever to lead one of England's national arts companies. Today he leads his own company Insideworld Imagine.
In 2002 Seán Doran was awarded the Centenary Medal by the Australian Government for his directorship of the Perth Festival. In 2001 Seán also became an Australian citizen alongside his Irish citizenship. He is married to the opera singer Ruby Philogene and lives in both London and Perth, Australia.
for a salt lake in the Australian outback. He staged the Merce Cunningham
Dance Company on an Australian beach to an audience of 4000 and he invited former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
to be figurehead of the world's largest literature festival in Wales.
At English National Opera
, he commissioned film director Anthony Minghella's opera debut, Madam Butterfly, which subsequently opened the 2006/7 New York Metropolitan Opera season, the first time in that company's history they had opened a season with another company's work.
‘The most beautiful show of the year in operatic London’
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ON MADAM BUTTERFLY
Two of Seán's final inspirations at ENO were to pair Deborah Warner & Ian Bostridge in Benjamin Britten's Death in Venice and to invite Improbable Theatre to make their opera debut with the composer Philip Glass
(Satyagraha 2007). Death in Venice became the second most popular Britten production in ENO's history. Satyagraha is the most popular contemporary work in ENO's history, selling over 17,000 tickets. Both productions were outstanding artistic and critical successes.
The artists of Seán's programming at ENO were awarded all eight nominations at the 2006 Olivier Awards, winning both opera category awards.
In more popular mode, Seán presented Bono
of U2
in his first live on stage Conversation (with The Guardian's Robin Denselow in 1995) and opened the literature component of his inaugural Belfast Festival with Australian icons Nick Cave
and Kylie Minogue
(1997).
It was Seán's idea to grass London's Trafalgar Square
, Glyndebourne-style, in preparation for its first ever opera staging in 2004. However, many will remember Seán's most daring and successful audience development idea of all: taking English National Opera to the Glastonbury Festival
in June 2004 when over 50,000 popular music fans responded with glee to Act 3 of Richard Wagner's opera The Valkyrie.
After commencing a career as a clarinettist and conductor of a music-theatre company in London, of which Sir Simon Rattle was Patron (1985-90), Doran was appointed to directorships of four major international arts festivals (1991-2003).
These included:
- Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the UK Year of Literature 1995 (Wales), the world's largest ever literature festival.
- Artistic Director of the Belfast Festival at Queens, Ireland's largest multi-arts festival (1997 & 1998).
- Festival Director of the Perth International Arts Festival, Australia's largest multi-arts festival (2000-2003).
At the age of 42, Seán Doran was appointed Artistic Director & Chief Executive of English National Opera
English National Opera
English National Opera is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St. Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden...
(from 2003), the first Irishman ever to lead one of England's national arts companies. Today he leads his own company Insideworld Imagine.
In 2002 Seán Doran was awarded the Centenary Medal by the Australian Government for his directorship of the Perth Festival. In 2001 Seán also became an Australian citizen alongside his Irish citizenship. He is married to the opera singer Ruby Philogene and lives in both London and Perth, Australia.
Projects
Seán commissioned 51 sculptures from Turner Prize-winning artist Antony GormleyAntony Gormley
Antony Mark David Gormley OBE RA is a British sculptor. His best known works include the Angel of the North, a public sculpture in the North of England, commissioned in 1995 and erected in February 1998, Another Place on Crosby Beach near Liverpool, and Event Horizon, a multi-part site...
for a salt lake in the Australian outback. He staged the Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham
Mercier "Merce" Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American avant-garde for more than 50 years. Throughout much of his life, Cunningham was considered one of the greatest creative forces in American dance...
Dance Company on an Australian beach to an audience of 4000 and he invited former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
to be figurehead of the world's largest literature festival in Wales.
At English National Opera
English National Opera
English National Opera is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St. Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden...
, he commissioned film director Anthony Minghella's opera debut, Madam Butterfly, which subsequently opened the 2006/7 New York Metropolitan Opera season, the first time in that company's history they had opened a season with another company's work.
‘The most beautiful show of the year in operatic London’
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ON MADAM BUTTERFLY
Two of Seán's final inspirations at ENO were to pair Deborah Warner & Ian Bostridge in Benjamin Britten's Death in Venice and to invite Improbable Theatre to make their opera debut with the composer Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
(Satyagraha 2007). Death in Venice became the second most popular Britten production in ENO's history. Satyagraha is the most popular contemporary work in ENO's history, selling over 17,000 tickets. Both productions were outstanding artistic and critical successes.
The artists of Seán's programming at ENO were awarded all eight nominations at the 2006 Olivier Awards, winning both opera category awards.
In more popular mode, Seán presented Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
of U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
in his first live on stage Conversation (with The Guardian's Robin Denselow in 1995) and opened the literature component of his inaugural Belfast Festival with Australian icons Nick Cave
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
and Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
(1997).
It was Seán's idea to grass London's Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
, Glyndebourne-style, in preparation for its first ever opera staging in 2004. However, many will remember Seán's most daring and successful audience development idea of all: taking English National Opera to the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in June 2004 when over 50,000 popular music fans responded with glee to Act 3 of Richard Wagner's opera The Valkyrie.