François Racine, Director

Pacific Opera Victoria
Director, Così fan tutte
April, 2010

François Racine made his Pacific Opera Victoria debut as director of the 1992 production of Die Fledermaus. He subsequently directed The Abduction from the Seraglio (1992), The Daughter of the Regiment (1994), Carmen (in 1996 and again in 2004), Werther (1998), La bohème (2002), Tosca (2005), and Madama Butterfly (2008). He returns in April 2010 to directo Mozart's Così fan tutte .

After completing a Bachelor's degree in Dramatic Arts, François Racine became a member of the Ensemble program at the Canadian Opera Company, where he assisted Robert Lepage on his productions of Erwartung and Bluebeard's Castle. He has since supervised and restaged these productions at the Edinburgh, Hong Kong, and Melbourne Festivals and later in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Cincinnati, Montréal, Québec and Seattle.

After completing the Ensemble program, he went on to stage various operas in Toronto, Montréal, Québec, Halifax, Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Hong Kong and Cincinnati. Other special event highlights include the 2001 Harbourfront Festival in Toronto where he was invited to create and stage the 'Hommage to Robert Lepage' for the World Leaders Festival held at the Liberty Grand, Exhibition Place, in Toronto.

He also collaborated with Maestro Kent Nagano and l'Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, staging concert versions of Tannhäuser, Norma, La Sonnambula and the Saint-François d'Assise of Olivier Messiaen; and with Maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin and l'Orchestre Métropolitain for the staged version of La clemenza di Tito.

Meanwhile he has directed productions for the Opera Studio of McGIll University, where he directed the award winning production of Louis Riel in 2005; and also for the Atelier Lyrique of l'Opéra de Montréal, the Jeunesses Musicales du Canada and for the Montréal Conservatory of Music.

As a playwright, François Racine has written many plays for young audiences, often produced by Jeunesses Musicales du Canada. Many of these plays have toured Canada. He has also adapted librettos from the opera and operetta repertoire.

In July 2009, François Racine was named Seattle Opera Artist of the Year for 2008-09.

François Racine holds a Master's degree in theatre, and has been guest professor for the Opera Studio of McGill University since 2008.

 

March 2010