Stephen Lord

In my life and over a forty-five year career I have always believed that music is something that must be shared and I have shared all that I have learned, not only with audiences, but also with those in whom I have had belief, even before anyone else.

After a six month hiatus, I have decided it is time to come back to where my heart is and again rejoin the field that has fed my spirit.

Biography

Stephen Lord has been chosen by Opera News as one of the “25 Most Powerful Names in U.S. Opera” (one of four conductors), and is continually praised for conducting both traditional and contemporary operatic works. For his debut with San Francisco Opera, conducting Rigoletto, one critic observed, “He partnered his singers perfectly and gave everything its proper weight – he was master of the score’s details and the orchestra played superbly for him.” Major posts have included music director for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, principal conductor of the Michigan Opera Theatre, and music director of Boston Lyric Opera. In the 2018-19 season, Mr. Lord conducted Eugene Onegin and Hänsel und Gretel with Michigan Opera Theatre and Norma with Utah Opera.

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Although Maestro Lord began his tenure as Music Director in 1992, he began a full time association with the company in 1980 as Head of Music Staff and Casting Advisor. In that capacity he worked closely with Richard Gaddes, Colin Graham and Charles MacKay formulating seasons, finding the best of budding talent in all disciplines, among whom were Donald Palumbo and James Robinson and any number of singers gracing the world’s opera stages.

His first conducting assignment for OTSL was The Gondoliers and quickly progressed to such varied pieces as King Arthur, Ariadne Auf Naxos, Kat’a Kavanova, Tosca, Salome, Madama Butterfly, and more with a total of twenty-eight operas.

With OTSL as his artistic home, he forged strong alliances with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra who subsequently employed him for several concerts. Their affection for him is palpable and it is reciprocated in kind.

Since becoming Music Director, there was established a multi-tiered system of young artists called the Gerdine Young Artists where young singers of color, varying physical diversity - and above all voice - were given opportunities often denied them elsewhere. These range from Lawrence Brownlee and Morris Robinson to Christine Goerke, Jamie Barton, and many, many more.

After his twenty-fifth season as Music Director, a fund was established called The Stephen H Lord Fund for Music, which now has several million dollars to be used for the development of coaches, conductors, chorus masters and any number of people visible or behind the scenes. Also in that season he was named Music Director Emeritus for Life.

Guest Appearances

Stephen Lord’s guest conductor appearances have included Canadian Opera Company ( Rigoletto , Norma , Un ballo in maschera , Lucia di Lammermoor ), San Francisco Opera ( Rigoletto , Adler Fellows! Gala Concert, Merola Grand Finals), Metropolitan Opera (National Council Grand Finals Concert), Lyric Opera of Chicago ( Tosca , Don Pasquale , L’elisir d’amore and numerous concerts ), Santa Fe Opera (Rossini’s La donna del lago , L es contes d’Hoffmann ), English National Opera ( Rigoletto , Norma , Tosca , La bohème ), New York City Opera and Dallas Opera ( La Rondine ), Seoul Arts Center ( Rigoletto , La traviata ), and Juilliard ( Don Pasquale ). He has also conducted with Opéra de Montréal (Macbeth), Washington National Opera (King Arthur, Agrippina) Opera Colorado (multiple titles including the opening concert of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House), Opera Philadelphia (La cenerentola, La Pérchole), Portland Opera, Minnesota Opera, Arizona Opera, Wolf Trap Opera; and with major orchestras including St. Louis Symphony, Boston Pops, and Hawaii Symphony.

Mentor & Educator