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Stephen Lord (conductor)

For the English actor, see Stephen Lord.

Stephen Lord (born 1949) is an American conductor, specializing in opera. Praised in particular for his work with bel canto operas, Maestro Lord has enjoyed a distinguished career in North America and Europe. He has also served as an accompanist for many of the world's finest singers and is treasured for his work as a vocal coach.

Raised in Massachusetts,[1] he is a 1971 graduate of Oberlin College.[2]

In 1980, Lord joined OTSL as its head of music staff. He was named as artistic advisor to OTSL general director Richard Gaddes in 1983. In 1986, Lord made his formal OTSL conducting debut, and in 1991, became music director of OTSL.[3] In November 2015, OTSL announced that Lord is to stand down from the OTSL music directorship after the 2017 season, and to take the title of music director emeritus.[4]

Lord was music director and principal conductor at Boston Lyric Opera from 1991 to 2008.[5] From 2011 to 2015, he was artistic director of the opera studies department at the New England Conservatory of Music.[6][7] In November 2016, Michigan Opera Theatre (MOT) named Lord to the newly created position of principal conductor of MOT, with an initial contract through the 2018-2019 season, with immediate effect.[8]

  1. ^ Sarah Bryan Miller (2015-05-10). "How Opera Theatre's top trio got into opera". Saint Louis Post-Dispatch (Culture Club blog). Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  2. ^ Heidi Waleson (2004). "The Operative Factor: How Oberlin Prepares Singers For Success". Oberlin Conservatory Magazine. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  3. ^ Sarah Bryan Miller (2015-11-09). "Stephen Lord to step down as music director at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis after 2017 season". Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  4. ^ "Famed Music Director Stephen Lord Will Take on New Role After 25 Seasons as Music Director at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis" (Press release). Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. 9 November 2015. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  5. ^ "Boston Lyric Opera's Stephen Lord Will Not Renew Contract Following 2007-08 Season". Opera News. 2006-07-05. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  6. ^ David Weininger (2010-05-21). "Lord returns to head NEC's opera program". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  7. ^ David Weininger (2011-02-25). "Lord knows opera and education". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  8. ^ Mark Stryker (2016-11-18). "MOT hires artistic Lord to succeed DiChiera — for two years". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2016-11-26.

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