Lee Blakeley was a British opera and musical theatre director whose visually audacious productions and innovative staging redefined contemporary opera aesthetics before his untimely death in 2017.
Defining moments and milestones
Lee Blakeley began his professional life as a theatre-trained director, making his mark with the world premiere of Handel's Clori, Tirsi e Fileno at Heaven nightclub in London in 2001, followed by early work at Opera North and English National Opera. His apprenticeship under David McVicar at the Royal Opera House provided the foundation for a distinctive directorial voice—visually striking, dramatically urgent, and unafraid of theatrical risk. From his breakthrough with Rusalka at Wexford in 2007 through his acclaimed work in musical theatre and his final operatic triumph with Macbeth in 2016, Blakeley established himself as a director of international stature whose productions bridged the worlds of opera and contemporary theatre.
Verdi's Macbeth for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (2016), which won the 2017 St. Louis Theatre Circle Award for outstanding opera production
Mirfield Free Grammar School; Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (theatre and directing); University of Glasgow (directing)
A chronological journey through key moments
Recordings featuring Lee Blakeley in the Society index
Additional recordings will appear here as the catalog expands.