An internationally recognized director of opera and theatre, Francesca Zambello made her American debut in 1984 with a production of Fidelio with the Houston Grand Opera. Her European debut followed in 1987 at the Teatro la Fenice in Venice with Beatrice di Tenda. She has since staged new productions at major theatres and opera houses in Europe and the United States. Collaborating with outstanding artists and designers and promoting emerging talent, she takes a special interest in new music theatre works, innovative productions, and in producing theater and opera for wider audiences.

Opera works in recent seasons have included the world premiere of An American Tragedy, Cyrano de Bergerac and Les Troyens for the Metropolitan Opera; Porgy and Bess and Die Walküre for the Washington Opera; La Boh?me at the Royal Albert Hall; Fiery Angel for the Bolshoi; Salome for Chicago Lyric Opera; Carmen and Don Giovanni for the Royal Opera House and Boris Godunov, War and Peace, Billy Budd and William Tell for the Paris Opera.

Ms. Zambello was recently awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government for her contribution to French culture and the Russian Federation’s Medal for Service to Culture. Other honors for her work include three Olivier Awards from the London Society of Theatres and two Evening Standard Awards for Best Musical and Best Opera as well as The French Grand Prix des Critiques, awarded twice for her work with the Paris Opera. She has also received awards for her work in Japan, Germany and Australia.

Recent theatre projects have included Showboat in London at the Royal Albert Hall; a new musical, Rebecca, for Vienna’s Raimund Theatre; Tibet Through the Red Box, a new play by David Henry Hwang for the Seattle Children’s Theatre; The Little Prince with Oscar-winning composer Rachel Portman; and Napoleon in London’s West End. Other recent projects have included film versions of Amahl and the Night Visitors and The Little Prince.

This year Ms. Zambello makes her Broadway debut directing the Disney production of The Little Mermaid. She is also developing several new musicals, one based on The Little House on the Prairie, and another based on The First Wives Club. Further opera works include The Ring for Washington Opera and San Francisco Opera.

Francesca Zambello’s papers are part of the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University.