Cameron Menzies
Artistic Director, Stage Director
Curriculum Vitae
CAMERON MENZIES
Artistic Director, Stage Director
Positions
STATUS- Real Life Stories of HIV Stigma. 20th International AIDS Conference, Melbourne. Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, 2014
Artistic Director & Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Opera, Belfast. National Opera Company. 2020 -
Stage Director (Freelance)
Artistic Director: The Classics: Opera, City of Stonnington. 2018 - 2020
Associate Artist: (Director of Productions) Diva Opera, United Kingdom 2018 -
Creative Director: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: 2014 - 2016
Creative Director: OPERETTE with Linda Britten for the cultural Program (VAMFF) 2012 - currrent
Artistic Advisory PanClel - The Tait Memorial Trust, United Kingdom 2014 - current
Opera Panel Head - Green Room Awards (Current)
Lecturer in Acting and Stagecraft - School of Music, Melbourne University.
Stage Director - Masters in Opera Performance, Victorian Opera 2014 - 2015
Chief Opera Director, The Opera Studio, Melbourne/Gertrude Opera 2009 - 2013
Artistic Director – Opera in the Park – City of Stonnington 2009-2014
Artistic Director - Lyric Opera of Melbourne 2009 - 2010
Directorial Credits
Guest Speaker
Tosca - Northern Ireland Opera, Grand Opera House Belfast, Northern Ireland 2023
Into the Woods - West Australian Opera, His Majesty's Theatre Perth, 2023
The Salon Series - Les Nuits D'été, Berlioz, Courtyard Theatre, NewtownAbbey
The Salon Series - Kindertotenlieder, Mahler Crumlin Road Gaol 2023
The Salon Series - Songs and Dances of Death, Mussorgsky Crumlin Road Gaol 2023
The Salon Series - The Lost Boy, The New Orpheus Room, Harp Bar 2023
The Salon Series - Sea Wrack, St Joseph's Sailortown, Belfast 2023
The Salon Series - Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, St Columbs Hall, Derry/Londonderry 2023
The Salon Series - La voix, Humaine, Poulenc - Throne Room, Hillsborough Castle 2023
La Traviata - Northern Ireland Opera, The Grand Opera House Belfast, 2022
The Selfish Giant, Director, Victorian Opera, The Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne 2022.
Into the Woods - Northern Ireland Opera - The Lyric Theatre Belfast (National Theatre) 2022
La Bohème Northern Ireland Opera, 2021
Old Friends and Other Days, Northern Ireland Opera, Causeway Pictures. Original Concept, Writer, Director 2021
Salome Director, Victorian Opera, Palais Theatre 2020
FLUID, Starring Courtney Act, World Premiere, Darlinghurst Theatre Sydney, 2020
YMA SUMAC The Peruvian Song Bird, Starring Ali McGregor. Director Victorian Opera, Playhouse Theatre Arts Centre Melbourne 2020
Hansel and Gretel Education Program, Director Diva Opera UK, Newcastle 2019
Die Enrführung aus dem Serail, Diva Opera UK. La Folle Journée Festival (Kajimoto Agency) Tokyo Japan, 2019
YMA SUMAC The Peruvian Song Bird, Starring Ali McGregor. Director. Sydney Opera House 2019
The Selfish Giant (New Australian Commission) Director, Victorian Opera. Melbourne Australia 2019
HAIR The Original Tribal Rock Musical, 50th Anniversary Australian Tour, Director. David M. Hawkins and Sydney Opera House 2019
Under the Covers with Courtney Act, UnderBelly Festival, SouthBank, United Kingdom
Sister Act - The Musical, Director/ Costume Designer The Vaults London, Off WestEnd Production, 2019
Madama Butterfly, Director Diva Opera UK, European Tour
La Boheme Director/Artistic Director The Classics Opera, Victorian Gardens Melbourne, Outdoor Event 2019
YMA SUMAC The Peruvian Song Bird Starring Ali McGregor, Director Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2018
Die Fledermaus: Director, Diva Opera UK, European Tour 2018
Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Director, Diva Opera UK, European Tour 2018
Pandemonium: Starring Meow Meow, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Opera House, Associate Artist, 2018.
Madama Butterfly: Director/Artistic Director for The Classics Opera, Victoria Gardens Melbourne. Outdoor Event, 2018
The Magic Pudding: Director/Original Concept: Playhouse Arts Centre Melbourne, Victorian Opera, 2018
More Pandemonium: Starring Meow Meow, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Festival Hall UK, Associate Artist, 2018
Apocalypse Meow: Starring Meow Meow, Sam Wanamaker Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe, Associate Artist, 2018
A Christmas Tale: Director, DivaOpera UK. European Tour 2018.
The Coming Back Out Ball: Director, Melbourne Town Hall, All The Queens Men, 2017
YMA: Life and Loves of Peruvian Goddess Yma Sumac, Starring Ali McGregor, Director, 2017
Memories are the Fabric of Family, Linda Britten Australia, 45 Down Stairs, Creative Director, VAMFF 2017
Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare - Director, AIOC China Tour 2017
Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare - Director, AIOC, China Tour 2017
Turandot - Director, Australian International Opera Company, China Tour, 2017.
La Boheme - Director, DivaOpera United Kingdom, European Tour 2017
'Tis Pity: An Operatic Fantasia on Selling the Skin and the Teeth - Director, Victorian Opera, Melb Recital Centre 2017. (New Commission)
Pecan Summer - Director, Short Black Opera Company, Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall, 2016.
Cosi fan Tutte - Director, DivaOperaUK, Premiere Geurnsey for European Tour, 2016
Education Program - Cosi Fan Tutte, Opera Outreach Program for Laidlaw Schools Trust UK, for Excelsior Academy, Thomas Walling
Primary Academy, A360 Academy 2016
Lucia di Lammermoor - Revival Director, after John Copley, Victorian Opera, Her Majesty's Theatre Melbourne, 2016
Le Nozze di Figaro, Director, DivaOperaUK, Capetown, South Africa, 2016
La Traviata- Director, Australian International Opera CO. China Tour 2016.
Seven Deadly Sins - New Opera Commission - Director/Designer. Victorian Opera, Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne. 2015
Die sieben Todsünden (Weil/Brecht) - Director/ Designer. Victorian Opera, Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne. 2015
Le Nozze di Figaro - Director, Australian International Opera Company, China Tour. 2015.
The Grumpiest Boy in the World - World Premiere - Director. Victorian Opera, Merlyn Theatre, Malthouse Theatre. 2015
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra - Banquet 2016 - Creative Director, Myer Mural Hall. James Morrison, Hetty Kate. 2015
The White Mouse - Director, La Mamma Theatre, Music Theatre Workshop 2015
Le Nozze di Figaro - Director - DivaOperaUK 2015
Lucia di Lammermoor - Director, Set Design - DIvaOperaUK 2015
Don Giovanni - Director, DivaOperaUK, 2015
The Strange Bedfellows:Under the Covers - Director, Butterfly Club, Melbourne, 2015
Operette: by appointment only - Creative Director in collaboration with Linda Britten featuring the dancers from The Australian Ballet School
The Flying Dutchman - Assistant Director, Victorian Opera, Palais Theatre Melbourne, 2015
Opera Scenes - Director, Young Artist Program, Victorian Opera 2014.
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Creative Director, Annual Fundraising Ball, Melbourne Town Hall, 2014
Orpheus and Euridice - Director, Port Fairy Spring Music Festival, 2014 Music and Librett by Ricky Ian Gordon
The Riders - Assistant Director for Marion Potts, Victorian Opera, Merlyn Theatre, Malthouse Theatre 2014
VOYCE - Direction, Victorian Opera 2104
STATUS-Real Life Stories of HIV Stigma - The STATUS Consortium, Fairfax Studio, The Arts Centre Melbourne, 2014
(Affiliated Production with the 20th International AIDS Conference)
Pecan Summer - Adelaide Season, Her Majesty's Theatre, 2014
Don Giovanni - (Mozart) DIVAOPERA UNITED KINGDOM - UK, FRANCE, THE CHANNELL ISLANDS, tour, 2014
Leagto -Operette, Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival, Creative Director with Linda Britten and The Australian Ballet School
William and Mary (World Premiere) Melbourne Indigenous Arts Festival, Malthouse Theatre 2013
Il Trovatore - (Verdi) Opera in the Park, City of Stonnington, Melbourne 2014
The Magic Pudding (World Premiere) Victorian Opera, Concept and Direction, 2013
Cendrillon (Massenet) Gertrude Opera, Her Majesty's Theatre Melbourne. Director, 2013
El gato con botas (Puss in Boots) (Xavier Montsalvatge) Director, Victorian Opera, 2013
Nixon in China (John Adams) - Asst. Director, Victorian Opera, 2013
Operette - L'Oreal Fashion Festival, Creative Director featuring Linda Britten, 2013
La Traviata - (Verdi) Opera in the Park, City of Stonnington, Melbourne 2013
Afterlife - (Michel van der Aa) Intemusica, Nederlands Oper, Melbourne International Arts Festival 2012, Assistant Director
Pecan Summer - (Deborah Cheetham) Short Black Opera Company, Perth Season, State Theatre Perth WA 2012, Associate Director.
Le Nozze di Figaro - Victorian Opera, The Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne, 2012 - Assistant Director
Redfern - A song cycle by Deborah Cheetham, Opera XS, Malthouse Theatre 2012 - Director
Eugene Onegin - an 80 minute verson in English. Her Majesty's Theatre Melbourne. The Opera Studio Melbourne 2012 - Director
The Magic Flute - Opera Australia (Ozopera) Victorian Tour 2012. Director
La Cenerentola - Victorian Opera (Educational Program) The Playhouse Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne 2012 - Director
The Juniper Tree (Australian Premiere) Philip Glass and Robert Moran - The Opera Studio, Melbourne, Beechworth Opera Festival and Abbotsford Opera Festival, Director and Design, 2011
Hansel and Gretel - Education program - Victorian Opera, Director, Horti Hall, 2011
The Threepenny Opera - Sydney Theatre Co., Malthouse Theatre and Victorian Opera, Sydney Theatre, Assistant Director, 2011
The Magic Flute - Education program - Victorian Opera - Director, The Playhouse, State Theatre, 2011
The Magic Flute - Victorian Opera - Assistant Director, The Playhouse, State Theatre, 2011
Dark Summer (A New Australian Play) - Director (OK Productions), Midsumma Festival, Chapel off Chapel 2011
Hansel and Gretel – Director (The Opera Studio Melbourne) Humperdinck. 2010
Acis and Galatea – Director (The Opera Studio Melbourne) Handel. 2010
A Hand of Bridge – Director (The Opera Studio Melbourne) Samuel Barber. 2010
The Old Maid and the Thief – Director (The Opera Studio Melbourne) Gian Carlo Menotti. 2010
Don Giovanni – Director (The Opera Studio Melbourne) National Theatre, St Kilda. 2010
Threepenny Opera - Assistant Director (Besen Family Artist Program – Direction 2010) Malthouse Theatre and Victorian Opera co-production of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht’s Threepenny Opera. Director – Michael Kantor, Conductor Richard Gill.
Wunderschön (See Below) Perth International Arts Festival, Octagon Theatre, 2010
Hansel and Gretel - Humperdinck - The Opera Studio, Melbourne 2009
Hoffman’s Heart - Adaptation of the Tales of Hoffman, Offenbach - The Opera Studio Melbourne 2009
The Old Maid and the Thief - Menotti - The Opera Studio Melbourne 2009
Wunderschön - Assisted Rodney Fisher AM and make-up designer for Reinbert de Leeuw’s Im Wunderschönen Monat Mai (In the lovely month of May), three times seven songs after Schumann and Schubert. Starring the “Post - post - modern cabaret diva” Meow Meow and the musicians of the Australian National Academy of Music under the music direction of Iain Grandage. 2009
La Serva Padrona - Pergolesi – Director, Melbourne Recital Centre and Malthouse Theatre for Past Echoes, May 2009
Dido and Aeneas - Purcell - Director and Designer, Lyric Opera of Melbourne, Chapel off Chapel, April 2009.
I Capuleti e I Montecchi - Bellini, assistant director/ resident director, Director Orpha Phelan, Opera Australia/Opera North /Opera Ireland. March – Sept 2009
Tannhäuser - Wagner – Hospitant Regie und Buhnenbilt ( assitant director/stage designer) Director Fr. Kirsten Harms, Deutshce Oper, Berlin. 2008
Stabat Mater - Pergolesi and Oedipus Rex - Stravinsky – Hospitant Regie , Director, Karsten Barthold, Köln Oper, Köln. 2008
Puccini’s Women – Director, Sell out Season, The Toff in the Town, Curtin House. A one woman show with conversations with women who had real life affairs with Puccini featuring nine of his most loved arias. 2008
La Boheme - Assistant Director for Melbourne Opera Company, Dir. Hugh Halliday, Athenaeum Theatre. 2008
Attila - Verdi - Director, Melbourne City Opera at BMW Edge, Federation Square. 2007
Il Trovatore - Verdi – Assistant director/resident director to Elke Neidhardt for the Melbourne Autumn and Sydney Winter Season, State Theatre, Melbourne Arts Centre and Sydney Opera House, Opera Australia, 2007.
Der Schauspieldirektor - Mozart and Prima la musica, poi le parole - Salieri), Director , Costume and Set Designer for Lyric Opera of Melbourne, 2007.
Hansel and Gretel , Humperdinck– Director for In Good Company, 2007
La Serva Padrona – Director for Past Echoes, 2007 – Regional Victoria Tour
Julius Caesar - Handel – secondment to Matthew Barclay (Resident Director, OA), Opera Australia, Melbourne Summer Season 2006.
Les Arts Florissants - Charpentier - Director for Past Echoes at the BMW Edge, 2006.
Il Giustino - Vivaldi– Director for The Lyric Opera of Melbourne, 2006
Die Fledermaus – Director for ‘In Good Company’, 2006
La Clemenza di Tito – Assistant Director to Matthew Barclay (Resident Director Opera Australia) for the Post-graduate main stage production for the Victorian College of the Arts. 2005
Cosi fan Tutte – Direction for a semi staged version for Mark Shiel and the Melbourne New Orchestra at the BMW Edge, Federation Square in July 2005.
A Chorus of Women - Direction and Co - Design for BreaCan Breast Cancer Support. Involved in creating a new performance piece with 10 women with Breast Cancer at Grant St Theatre, VCA. 2005
C is for Journey’s – More Than Opera, with Arts Victoria. Associate Director working with professional opera singers and the Opera Therapy participants in creating a new operatic production. Single performance of the piece (Collingwood College Theatre and a 52 minute documentary called ‘Opera Therapy’ which was the “Winner of the Silver Plaque at the Chicago International Film Festival 2006”, AFC and SBS Independent – Screened on Storyline, Nov 2005).
OLD FRIENDS AND OTHER DAYS - Film 2021
Best Costume/Production Design - Paris Short FIlm Awards.
Guest Speaker - The 20th International Aids Conference - The STATUS Consortium. An hour long talk and presentation on the creation and structure of the Verbatim Theatre piece STATUS - Real Life Stories of HIV Stigma in front of the international conference delegates and international press
Guest Speaker - The 33rd Australian Music Therapy Association National Conference 2008. Co - Presenter on ‘A Chorus of Women’ - Creating and Performing with Women with Breast Cancer- A community Health Arts Collaboration with BreaCan. The stories and songs of 10 women living with Breast Cancer.
2010 - present
2010 - present
Events, Launches and Concerts
SALOME - Victorian Opera, Palais Theatre - 2020
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra - Creative Director - Symphony Banquet 2014, 2015, 2016
Opera in the Park – outdoor Festival. – City of Stonington, 2009-2014
Vocal Gala -Director for the Victorian College of the Arts, semester 1, 2009 - Scenes from Benjamin Brittens’ Billy Budd.
The Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust - Launch at the National Gallery of Victoria
Melba Conservatorium – Open days co-ordination
ANAM – DVD Launch – South Melbourne Town Hall
Piano! Festival – Australian National Academy of Music - week long festival.
The Young Stars of Opera – Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust – RACV Club, 2010
The Sopranos – The Gala Concert, Melba Festival, 2010.
Halcyon Days, The Quest for a Wife - 60minute pastiche of Opera Classics. Based on the Muses and Helios the Sun God for Melba Opera Trust, Beleura House for the Tallis Foundation.
Vocal Gala – Director for the Victorian College of the Arts, Semester 2, A Midsummer’s Night Dream (excerpts) Britten, Suor Angelica, Puccini – conductor Stephen Mould. 2007
First CABaret off the Rank – a cabaret performance. Director. Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music, 2007.
Melbourne Youth Music - Children’s Choral Concert in conjunction with Kathryn Sadler, featuring VoxSynergy for Melbourne Youth Music. 2004 - 2006
Vocal Gala – Director for The Victorian College of the Arts, Semester One - Conductor Marco von Pagee, Vocal Department Concert, 2006
Scholarships
Berlin New Music Opera Award - Opera Foundation Australia and the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, 2011
Amelica Vera Scholarship - 2011
Besen Family Artist Program : Direction 2010, Malthouse Theatre mentorship program - Michael Kantor - Artistic Director, Malthouse Theatre
Bayreuth Opera Award – Opera Foundation Australia and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), 2008
Wagner Society of Victorian Awardee 2008
Opus 50 Charitable Trust Awardee 2008 and 2011
The Amy Alice McDonald Scholarship Trust recipient, 2007-2010
The Silver Plaque, Chicago International Film Festival - Opera Therapy -Documentary- Associate Director, SBS Television, 2006.
The Australian Opera Auditions Committee - 1999
Qualifications
Bachelor of Music – Victorian College of the Arts (Performance in Voice). 2003 – 2005
Post Graduate Diploma in Opera and Music Theatre 1st year. 2002
NIDA and Conservatorium of Music – Music Theatre Course, Sydney, 1997.
Acting and Performing, Directing from The Ensemble Acting Studios under the tutelage of Hayes Gordon (OAM) and Denise Roberts (GP and Always Greener). 1996-1999.