Annemiek van Elst is a stage director working across opera, theatre and film. Her work has been hailed as “highly imaginative”, “knowing comedy”, “very powerful”, and “…an entirely different approach”. She lives in London, but works across the UK and Europe.
She studied Theatre Directing and has a first degree in Teaching Drama from the Academy for Theatre, Fontys School of Arts (BA Hons) and an MA Advanced Theatre Practice from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She has been awarded by the VSB Fonds and Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds directing scholarships, and has won the writing competition WriteNow! for her short stories which have been published in the book ‘Ook Olifanten moeten door’.
She founded the company And Many Others; together with writer Claudia Marinaro they’ve created 3 productions including the Arts Council England Funded Becoming Mohammed, No Fixed Abode, and Polar Bear and Child. Their work has been described as ‘highly visceral documentary theatre’ and ‘vital contribution to theatre and wider social discussions’.
Together with composer Yshani Perinpanayagam she is currently supported by the Britten-Pears Foundation to develop their new opera NADIA, about the incredible life of Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci.
Recent credits include (full CV can be found on this website):
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- As a Director on Bluebeards Castle (TBA), Eternal Road (Opera Zuid/Grand Theatres de la ville Luxembourg), Albert Herring, Gianni Schicchi (St Paul’s Opera), HELENA (Tete-a-Tete Opera Festival), NADIA (Britten Pears), NewsRevue (Canal Theatre London) Nele Needs A Holiday: The Musical (Richard Jordan Productions/Big in Belgium), Polar Bear and Boy (Greenwich Theatre), Becoming Mohammed (Pleasance Theatre), Community (Southwark Theatre), R.A Zimmerman Against the Establishment (Theater de Nwe Vorst).
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- As an Associate Director for Eugen Onegin (Opernhaus Magdeburg, Teatro Massimo, Opera National de Lorraine), Candide (Scottish Opera), Henny Penny – The Opera (Guildhall), Don Quichote (Lyric Hammersmith)
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- As a Revival Director for Die Zaubferflöte (Palau de les Arts, Valencia), Eugen Onegin (Teatro Massimo Palermo, Opera National de Lorraine Nancy), Alice im Wunderland (Opernhaus Zurich)
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- As an Assistant Director for Royal Opera House, Dutch National Opera, Opernhaus Zürich Opernhaus, English National Opera, Opera Zuid, Lyrique-en-Mer, Teatru Manoel, Lyric Hammersmith, Het Zuidelijk Toneel.
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- As a Staff Director for Romeo et Juliette (Opera Zuid, NL Tour), Eugene Onegin (Opera Up Close, UK tour)
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- Facilitating workshops and performances with target groups for companies including; Identity School of Acting (IDSA London, Los Angeles International), Cardboard Citizens, Outside Edge Theatre, and Lyric Hammersmith
- Translating various texts and programs for companies including: Netflix, CBS, Royal Court Theatre. More info on tab ‘Translation’
Annemiek is a founding member of I:OPERA and an active member of Stage Directors UK and the Young Vic Directors Network.
Languages include Dutch, English, German, Italian and French.
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Photo: Anna Mathioudaki