Born in Johannesburg, Alessandro Talevi studied Music and History of Art at the University of the Witwatersrand before completing a postgraduate performance diploma in vocal accompaniment at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He was recently awarded 3rd Prize at the prestigious European Opera-Directing Prize in Wiesbaden for his concept of Rusalka and was a semi-finalist in the “Ring Award 08” directing competition in Graz.
Talevi has directed and designed opera productions in the UK and South Africa, including La Voix Humaine, Noye’s Fludde and La Princesse Jaune (London Oratory Theatre), Un Giorno di Regno (Pretoria) and Gräfin Mariza (Johannesburg). Other recent work includes the revival of the Teatro la Fenice production of Ariadne auf Naxos in Lucca and Bolzano, and opera tableaux for the RAM. He has also worked as a staff director at English National Opera.
Alessandro Talevi is the co-founder and artistic director of Independent Opera at Sadler’s Wells, one of the most dynamic and successful young opera companies in the United Kingdom. For Independent Opera, he has directed La Scala di Seta, Orlando and, most recently, a highly acclaimed double bill of Elizabeth Maconchy’s one-act operas The Sofa and the Departure.
Recent work: a double bill of L’occasione fa il ladro and La Colombe for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Current season/future plans: Partenope for Opéra les Azuriales at Cap Ferrat, Pelléas et Mélisande at Sadler’s Wells, La Fedeltà Premiata with Trevor Pinnock at the RAM, a double bill of The Marriage (Martinu) and La cambiale di matrimonio (Rossini) for GSMD, and he will be Revival Director of Peter Grimes (p. Paul Curran) for the Teatro di San Carlo di Napoli.