Mark Streshinsky Opera Director

MarkStreshinsky OperaStageDirector

ProductionPhotos/Notes

All Giovanni Photos	Berkeley Opera Winter 2010 Don Giovanni	I recieved my appointment as Artistic Director of Berkeley Opera in October 2009. I moved the company to a brand new theater in El Cerrito and as the first production for the new Berkeley Opera, I chose Don Giovanni. I staged the piece modern with very spare scenery and used projections.
All Traviata Photos	Seattle Opera Fall 2009 La Traviata	Having helped John Copley stage his production of La Traviata in both San Francisco and Dallas, I was thrilled when Speight Jenkins, of Seattle Opera asked me to do my own staging on the wonderful scenery of that production. I focused on the illness of Violetta, staging the preludes and several moments in the opera to draw this point to the attention of the audience. I also added an enormous table in act one that wheeled on stage and the entire cast and chorus sat down to dinner attended by a large team of servants in livery.
All Carmen Photos	Cincinnati Opera Summer 2009 Carmen	During final rehearsals of Lucie de Lammermoor in Cincinnati, I was asked to direct Carmen for the following summer. The scenery was a venerable set by John Conklin. I added a downstage scrim and staged introductions to each scene behind it, in order to focus more clearly on Jose and remind the audience that this is the story of his downfall. For the first Act, Carmen is seen at a window. It is soon revealed that all of the soldiers on stage are looking at her, but are frozen. As the scene begins, Jose is discovered among the soldiers clearly in distress over the feelings he is having for Carmen. Jose sees Micaela coming and escapes. During the introduction of Act Two, we see Jose in jail with the flower. Micaela enters with a jailer to let him out, but he can only think of Carmen, which we see as her light comes up for her gypsy song. During the introduction to Act 3 we see Carmen and Jose in the firelight of the camp. The relationship is soured and this is made very clear to the audience. As Act 4 begins, we briefly see Jose, alone, staring up at the bullring, and then invaded by the crowd. The production was another great success for me in Cincinnati and I again had the great honor of being asked back for a future production before Carmen opened.
All La Boheme Photos	The Dallas Opera Winter 2009 La Boheme	Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's production of La Boheme places the garret on a platform that exists in a space surrounded by parisian buildings. In making my own staging on this striking set, I created a pathway of light around the platform which signified a hallway. The hallway was lit in a different color than the garret platform. This allowed me the opportunity to show the audience a bit of what goes on in the rest of the building, including Mimi who hopes to become a part of the bohemian life and Madame Benoit who harrangues her husband into collecting rent. I did away with the traditional pause between Act 1 and Act 2, bringing the chorus slowly on stage at the end of the duet to form a tableau and then starting immediately in the new act with Mimi and Rodolfo running into the crowd.
All Dracul Photos	The Crucible Winter 2009 Dracul Fire Ballet	I have begun directing fire performance projects for The Crucible, a center for industrial arts in Oakland, CA. This is a factory-like setting where classes are taught in welding, glass blowing, forging etc.as well as fire performance. The center also creates fire performance evenings in which the emphasis is on spectacle and seeing as much fire on stage as possible. My first was a production of Stravinsky's "The Firebird." I was especially proud of "Dracul," which involved a great deal of aerial work as well as ballet and fire.
All Giulio Cesare Photos	Lyric Opera of Kansas City Fall 2008 Giulio Cesare / Handel	I was asked to stage Handel's great opera for Lyric Opera of Kansas City. It was the company's first Baroque opera in it's fifty year history. The company had purchased the famous and historical Ming Cho Lee set from New York City Opera. This was the production that had launched the career of Beverly Sills. We created new costumes in a completely period style and I was asked to prepare an edition that tightened the show dramatically as well as brought the running time down to three hours.
All Anna Karenina Photos	Florida Grand Opera Spring 2007 Anna Karenina (world premiere) / David Carlson and Colin Graham	In 2005 Colin Graham asked me to assist him on his new opera being composed by David Carlson. Colin was in poor health and wanted someone who could take over the production if needed. Three weeks before rehearsals began, I was asked to step into the position of director. I had worked on the production with Colin and was ready to take it on. The production was extremely successful in both Florida and in subsequent performances at Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Sadly, Colin Graham died during the rehearsals.
All Hoffmann Photos	Cincinnati Opera Summer 2006 *The Tales of Hoffmann* / Offenbach	I worked on this wonderful production of the Tales of Hoffmann with Chris Alexander when it premiered in Seattle. I was asked to stage the production in Cincinnati and made several changes based on the new cast and the needs of the company.
All Cincinnati Lucie de Lammermoor Photos Lucie de Lammermoor Photos on You Tube	Cincinnati Opera Summer 2008 Lucie de Lammermoor / Donizetti	I first worked on the French version of Lucia di Lammermoor in Boston. For Cincinnati Opera, I expanded the production for the larger stage and added a major ballet component. Two dancers portray a male and a female deer whose story mirrors Lucie's and Edgard's.
All Cenerentola Photos	Michigan Opera Theater Spring 2006 La Cenerentola / Rossini	After my success with La Cenerentola in Dallas, I was asked to directed it in Detroit for Michigan Opera Theater with two of the singers who had done it in Dallas, Vivica Genaux and Donato DiStefano. This time we did it on a set from Indiana University, on which I made several changes to make the best use of the set. For the storm I created a video cartoon with a human element. Also, a new gag was the sister's discovery of other prospective princesses. We used a fight director to create a scene where the sisters karate chopped their way to the front of the line. The "princesses" then returned heavily bandaged for the wedding scene.
All Figaro Photos	Michigan Opera Theater Fall 2007 Le Nozze di Figaro / Mozart	During preparations for Anna Karenina, Colin Graham also asked me to take over his production of Le Nozze di Figaro to be produced in Detroit. He encouraged me to make the production my own. The production is designed to be done with one intermission with two a-vista scene changes. I adjusted some of the scenic elements for better effect in this theater and made the decision to move the act 4 scene change earlier to the wedding march music, creating a garden wedding and then no shift before Barbarina's aria. I added many details I had not seen before, including a brigade of pages all played by women so that everywhere the Count looked he saw Cherubino. I also made the relationship between the Count and Countess more complicated, which resulted in a very touching "Contessa perdono."
All Boston Lucie Photos	Boston Lyric Opera Fall 2005 Lucie de Lammermoor / Donizetti	I was asked by Boston Lyric Opera to revive the Glimmerglass production working with the original director who was available only for the first few days of rehearsal. After the director left, I was encouraged to continue working and developing the production with the very talented cast. The performances were successful and I was asked to direct the production for Cincinnati Opera, expanding the production and doing my own staging.
All Tosca Photos	Sacramento Opera Spring 2008 Tosca / Puccini	I finally got to direct my wife, Marie Plette, in a starring role.
All Chrysalis Photos	Berkeley Opera Spring 2006 *Chrysalis* by Clark Suprynowicz (world premier)	For my first new opera, I was asked to be a part of the composition process, working with the composer and librettist as dramaturge. I also took on the design aspect of the production creating a modular set and contemporary costumes.
	Berkeley Opera Winter 2004 *Legend of the Ring* (3 (3 hour Ring cycle) / Wagner	I was asked to direct this version of Wagner's epic masterpiece for Berkeley Opera. The version by David Seaman of Welsh National Opera, is just three hours long, uses eight performers and a reduced orchestra. With the help of a video artist, I designed projected scenery that used video, photo-montage and still photography to suggest the locales and magic. I also made extensive use of shadow. The photo here is from the Siegfried portion. Siegfried kills the dragon Faffner in silhouette.

Florida Grand Opera