COPLEY, John (Michael Harold)
Born 12 June 1933; s of Ernest Harold Copley and Lilian Forbes; civil partnership 2006, John Hugh Chadwyck-Healey
opera director
Education
King Edward’s, Five Ways, Birmingham; Sadler’s Wells Ballet Sch.; Central Sch. of Arts and Crafts, London (Dip. with Hons in Theatre Design)
Career
Appeared as the apprentice in Britten’s Peter Grimes for Covent Garden Opera Co., 1950; stage managed: both opera and ballet companies at Sadler’s Wells, in Rosebery Avenue, 1953–57; also various musicals, plays, etc, in London’s West End, incl. The World of Paul Slickey and My Fair Lady. Joined Covent Garden Opera Co.: Dep. Stage Manager, 1960; Asst Resident Producer, 1963; Associate Resident Producer, 1966; Resident Producer, 1972; Prin. Resident Producer, 1975–88. Productions include: at Covent Garden: Suor Angelica, 1965; Così fan Tutte, 1968, 1981; Orpheo ed Euridice, 1969; Le Nozze di Figaro, 1971, 1985; Don Giovanni, 1973; La Bohème, 1974, 1985; Faust, 1974; L’elisir d’amore, 1975, 1981, 1985; Benvenuto Cellini, 1976; Ariadne auf Naxos, 1976; Maria Stuarda; Royal Silver Jubilee Gala, 1977; Werther, 1979; La Traviata, Lucrezia Borgia, 1980; Alceste, 1981; Semele, 1982, 1988, 1996; Norma, 1987; L’elisir d’amore, 1992; at London Coliseum (for Sadler’s Wells, subseq. ENO): Carmen, Il Seraglio, Il Trovatore, La Traviata, Mary Stuart; Rosenkavalier, La Belle Hélène, 1975; Werther, 1977; Manon, Aida, Julius Caesar, Les Mamelles de Tirésias, 1979; The Merry Widow, 2008; Athens Festival: Macbeth; Netherlands Opera: Lucia; Opera National de Belge: Lucia; Wexford Festival: La Clemenza di Tito; L’Infedelta delusa; Dallas Civic Opera: Lucia; Hansel and Gretel, 1991; Elektra, Il Trovatore, 1996; Ariodante, 1998; Chicago Lyric Opera: Lucia; La Bohème, 1983; Orlando, 1986; Tancredi, 1989; The Barber of Seville, 1989; Peter Grimes, Idomeneo, 1997; Gioconda, 1998; Die Fledermaus, 1999; Canadian Opera, Toronto: Lucia; Falstaff; La Bohème, 1984; Adriana Lecouvreur, La Forza del Destino, 1987; Greek Nat. Opera: Madame Butterfly; Otello; Australian Opera: Fidelio, Nozze di Figaro, Rigoletto, Magic Flute, Jenufa, Ariadne auf Naxos, Madame Butterfly, Fra Diavolo, Macbeth, La Traviata, Manon Lescaut, Lucia di Lammermoor, Tosca, Manon; Adriana Lecouvreur, 1984; Peter Grimes, 1986; Carmen, 1987; La Forza del Destino, 1988; Victoria State Opera: Don Carlos, 1984; La Bohème, 1985; WNO: La Traviata, Falstaff, Peter Grimes, Tosca; Peter Grimes, 1983; Opera North: Les Mamelles de Tirésias, Madama Butterfly; Scottish Opera: Lucia, Ballo in Maschera, Dido and Aeneas; Acis and Galatea for English Opera Group in Stockholm, Paris, Aldeburgh Fest.; New York City Opera: Le Nozze di Figaro; Der Freischutz; Don Quichotte; Santa Fé Opera: Ariodanie, 1987; Così fan tutte, 1988; Der Rosenkavalier, La Traviata, 1989; La Bohème, 1990; Tosca, 1994; Semele, 1997; Idomeneo, 1999; Ottawa Festival: Midsummer Night’s Dream; Eugene Onegin, 1983; Vancouver Opera: Carmen; San Francisco Opera: Julius Caesar; The Midsummer Marriage, 1983; Don Giovanni, 1984; Orlando, 1985; Le Nozze di Figaro, Eugene Onegin, 1986; La Traviata, 1987; Idomeneo, 1989; Midsummer Night’s Dream, 1992; Pique Dame, 1993; Peter Grimes, 1998; San Diego Opera: Eugene Onegin, 1985; Le Nozze di Figaro, 1986; Così fan tutte, 1991; Staatsoper Munich: Adriana Lecouvreur, 1984; Teatro La Fenice, Venice: Semele, 1991 and 1992; Deutsche Oper, Berlin: L’Elisir d’amore, 1988; Metropolitan Opera, NY: Julius Caesar, 1988; Semiramide, 1990; L’Elisir d’amore, 1991; Norma, 2001; Le Pirata, 2002; Opera Theatre of St Louis: La Rondine, 1996. Sang as soloist in Bach’s St John Passion, Bremen, Germany, 1965; appeared as Ferdy in John Osborne’s play, A Patriot for Me, at Royal Court Theatre, 1965. Co-directed (with Patrick Garland): Fanfare for Europe Gala, Covent Garden, 3 Jan. 1973; Fanfare for Elizabeth gala, Covent Garden, 21 April 1986. Hon. RAM 1999; Hon. RCM 2002
- COPLEY, John (Michael Harold)’, Who's Who 2010, A & C Black, 2010; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2009 ; online edn, Nov 2009 accessed 20 Jan 2010 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Kittybrewster (talk • contribs) 12:52, 20 January 2010 (UTC)Reply
