Directors // Mark Streshinsky

In April of 2010, Mark Streshinsky began an association with the Yale Opera Graduate degree program, directing productions of Stravinsky's Le Rossignol and The Peter Brook version of Carmen.
Recently named Artistic Director of Berkeley Opera, Mark Streshinsky moved the company to a new theater in El Cerrito and directed a new production of Don Giovanni which was a popular and critical hit. He spent 2009 directing some of the most beloved operas in the repertoir for some of the best opera companies in the country. He began the year with Puccini's La Boheme for The Dallas Opera. Soon after he directed Bizet's Carmen, his third production for The Cincinnati Opera. He ended the year with Verdi's La Traviata as his directing debut with Seattle Opera. He then returned home to take the reigns as artistic director for Berkeley Opera in California. Other productions for Cincinnati Opera have been The Tales of Hoffmann in 2006, and the French version of Lucia, Lucie de Lammermoor in the summer of 2008 which he also directed for Boston Lyric Opera. Audiences have also seen his productions of Handel's Guilio Cesare for Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Tosca in Sacramento and The Marriage of Figaro and La Cenerentola in Detroit. In 2007, Mark had great critical success directing the world premier of David Carlson's and Colin Graham’s Anna Karenina which celebrated the opening of the Ziff Opera House in Miami and was subsequently performed at Opera Theatre of St. Louis. It was also the featured production of the 2007 Opera America conference. Mark took on this project when director and librettist, Colin Graham, passed away. Graham, one of Mark’s mentors. chose him to carry on his work.   
Previous to becoming Artistic Director of Berkeley Opera, Mark has directed four operas for the company, creating critically acclaimed productions of Eugene Onegin, Handel's Acis and Galatea and Legend of the Ring (a one-evening version of Wagner's Ring cycle). Most recently for the company, he directed the world premier of Chrysalis, by composer Clark Suprynowicz and playwright John O’Keefe. For Chrysalis, Mark also served as company liaison to the composer and designed the scenery and costumes.
Mark has been a member of the staging staffs of San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Dallas Opera, Los Angeles Opera and Seattle Opera.  Mark has also served on the faculties of West Coast Opera Works in San Francisco, Opera North in New Hampshire and Des Moines Metro Opera's young artist programs, staging opera scenes with young singers. He has also worked with vocal students at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Outside of the opera world. Mark has recently begun an association with "The Crucible" A Center for Industrial Arts in Oakland, California. where he directs fire performers, circus performers and ballet dancers in an annual fire extravaganza. He started this association with an adaptation of Stravinsky's The Firebird. This past January was Dracul with music by british composer Phillip Feeney. The Crucible has comissioned Mark to create the libretto and direct "Machine" a world premiere fire opera in 2011.
Upcoming productions include a revival of Legend of the Ring for Berkeley Opera. As well as two new opera projects in the works for future seasons. A new production of Le Nozze di Figaro for Lyric Opera of Kansas City and a new production of Don Giovanni for Livermore Valley Opera. Mark Streshinsky lives in California with his wife, soprano Marie Plette, and their eleven-year-old son, Evan.