Simone sibbett.brown@gmail.com

I'm a music-theatre-maker passionate about work that reflects, respects and affects the world we live in. I've been engaged to direct or write gig theatre, opera, plays with music and song cycles for Edinburgh International Festival, English National Opera, Immersive|LDN, Opera North, Royal Opera House, Soho Theatre, West Green House Opera, and more.

I'm the joint artistic director of Hera, sharing brilliant music and stories you haven't heard before, by artists marginalised by the mainstream opera offer, right across the UK.

I connect deeply with work that is equal parts politics and joy. I hope to facilitate active connections between the work and the world in others, and recently enjoyed a Guildhall Fellowship on emerging artist engagement with artist-activism.

My pronouns are she/her.

Credits

DIRECTOR, [new musical to be announced], Guildhall School of Music and Drama, 2 weeks, 2023
DIRECTOR, The Messiah Reimagined, Black British Classical Foundation, 1 week, 2023
DIRECTOR, The Aspern Papers, Pegasus Opera / Susie Sainsbury Theatre, 1 week, 2022
DIRECTOR, Whistle Stop Opera, Opera North, TBC, 2022
CO-DIRECTOR, I am Music, Opera North, online, 2022
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, L’Orfeo, Opera North, 2 months, 2022
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, Pay the Piper, Glyndebourne Youth Opera, 1 week, 2022
DIRECTOR, woman.life.song, Edinburgh International Festival / Chineke!, 1 week, 2021
TRANSLATOR, DIRECTOR, Hansel and Gretel, Thorington Theatre in the Woods / Hammersmith BID, 1 week, 2021
WRITER, Around the World in 80 Days, West Green House Opera, 2 weeks, 2021
LIBRETTIST, DIRECTOR, Gracie, Immersive|LDN / OperaVision, 3 weeks, 2021 (cancelled due to pandemic)
LIBRETTIST, Munkination, Royal Opera House / Visualise, online, 2020
CURATOR, DIRECTOR, What Do You Hope For?, English National Opera, online, 2020
CO-DIRECTOR, The Bridge Between Breaths, formidAbility / Tête-à-tête, R&D, 2020
DIRECTOR, La bohème, Devon Opera / UK tour, 2 weeks, 2020 (cancelled due to pandemic)
STAFF DIRECTOR, Luisa Miller, English National Opera, 6 weeks, 2020
DIRECTOR, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Devon Opera / UK tour, 1 week, 2019
CO-WRITER, MUSICAL DIRECTOR, CO-COMPOSER, Shuck 'n' Jive, Soho Theatre, 3 weeks, 2019
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, Opera Squad, English National Opera / UK schools tour, 2 weeks, 2019
STAFF DIRECTOR, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, 2 months, 2019
DIRECTOR, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Goodenough College, 1 show, 2019
CO-WRITER, DIRECTOR, The Next Jessye Norman, Tristan Bates Theatre / Blacktress, 2 shows, 2018
CO-DIRECTOR, Raising Abel, Sands Film Studios, 1 show, 2018
STAFF DIRECTOR, Burying the Dead, Ceruleo / UK tour, 1 year, 2018
DIRECTOR, Dido and Aeneas, Leicester MusicFest, 1 show, 2018
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, Scenes at Six, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, 1 show, 2017
MOVEMENT CAPTAIN, Benjamin Clementine: The Wandering Tour, European tour, 2 months, 2017
DIRECTOR, Albert Herring, Harrow Opera, 2 weeks, 2016
TRAINEE DIRECTOR, Die Zauberflöte, Hampstead Garden Opera, 2 weeks, 2016
CO-DIRECTOR, CO-WRITER, CO-COMPOSER, On the Night: A New Musical, The Bridewell Theatre / Sedos, 2 shows, 2015
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, Carmen, Harrow Opera, 2 weeks, 2015
CO-DIRECTOR, Don Giovanni, York Grand Opera House, 1 show, 2014
WRITER, COMPOSER, Evolve: A New Musical, The Drama Barn (York), 1 week, 2014
CO-DIRECTOR, Little Women: The Musical, The Drama Barn (York), 1 week, 2013
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, Le nozze di Figaro, York Concerts, 1 show, 2013
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, John Cage’s Song Books, York Concerts, 1 show, 2012

Training

Stagetext - captioning training
University of York - BA Music
Guildhall School of Music and Drama - MA Vocal Studies
Guildhall School of Music and Drama - Junior Fellowship