Stuart Maunder

AM
Born1957 (age 66–67)
Boggabri, New South Wales, Australia
Occupations
  • Theatre director
  • Artistic administrator
Years active1981[1]–present

Stuart Lionel Maunder AM[2] (born 1957)[3] is an Australian theatre director, currently appointed as the artistic director of State Opera of South Australia. He has also directed for Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, West Australian Opera, New Zealand Opera and Scottish Opera.[4]

Biography

Born in Sydney but raised in Boggabri, Maunder studied law,[5] but turned to the stage and started his career as a stage manager in 1978 at The Australian Opera before becoming a resident director in 1981. Whilst continuing to direct in Australia, he joined The Royal Opera, London, as a staff director in 1992. In 1999 he was appointed artistic administrator of Opera Australia by Simone Young and then became executive producer from 2004 to 2008.[6]

In 2012, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) "for service to the performing arts, particularly with Opera Australia, as an artistic director, and as a mentor to emerging artists."[2]

From 2014 until 2018 Maunder was general director of New Zealand Opera, before being appointed artistic director of State Opera of South Australia in 2018.[7][8]

Maunder was married to pianist and soprano Anne-Maree McDonald;[9] they have a daughter, musical theatre performer Lucy Maunder.[10]

In 2023 Maunder became a patron of Opera Brava, UK.[11]

Repertoire

His opera directing includes Carmen, The Pearl Fishers, Peter Grimes, La fille du régiment, The Cunning Little Vixen, Manon, La bohème, L'Orfeo, The Magic Flute, The Tales of Hoffmann, Orpheus in the Underworld, Tosca, Il signor Bruschino, La scala di seta, Macbeth and Rigoletto.[4] His production of Tosca for New Zealand Opera in 2016 was shown in cinemas nationwide.[12] Maunder directed the first opera production in Australia since COVID-19 restrictions were introduced, Berlioz' Béatrice et Bénédict, conducted by Johannes Fritzsch, at the Queensland Conservatorium.[13]

His musical theatre direction includes Carousel (State Opera of South Australia), Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd (Victorian Opera, State Opera of South Australia), Candide (New Zealand Opera), A Little Night Music and My Fair Lady (Opera Australia).

He is also a Gilbert and Sullivan aficionado,[14][15] having directed Trial by Jury, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, The Gondoliers and Iolanthe.[4] Several of these have been broadcast by ABC Television.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Stuart Maunder". opera.org.au. Opera Australia. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Queen's Birthday Honours". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  3. ↑ Maunder, Stuart (2006). "Stuart Maunder interviewed by Bill Stephens" (sound recording). Interviewed by Bill Stephens. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 "Stuart Maunder". Operabase. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  5. ↑ "On the Couch with Stuart Maunder". Australian Arts Review. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Stuart Maunder". State Opera of South Australia. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  7. ↑ McPherson, Angus (6 February 2018). "Stuart Maunder announced as State Opera SA Artistic Director". Limelight. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  8. ↑ "New Zealand Opera's General Director Stuart Maunder is moving on". Radio New Zealand. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  9. ↑ Lloyd, Tim (9 January 2007). "Adventures in G&S land". The Advertiser. Adelaide. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  10. ↑ "My Music: Lucy Maunder". Limelight. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  11. ↑ "Opera Brava announces new Patrons". Opera Brava. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  12. ↑ Jennifer Dann (16 February 2016). "Twelve Questions: Stuart Maunder, general director New Zealand Opera company". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  13. ↑ Louise Crossen (8 September 2020). "Pandemic opera production is one for the history books". Griffith News. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  14. ↑ "Stuart Maunder and Gilbert & Sullivan". State Opera of South Australia . Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  15. ↑ Stuart Maunder (30 June 2020). "Inside the Musician. Stuart Maunder: Worshipping at the Shrine". Retrieved 31 May 2021.
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