Glynis Leyshon is one of Canada’s most respected opera and theatre directors. The British Columbia native’s credits in recent seasons have included Lucia di Lammermoor for Pacific Opera Victoria, Mikado for Calgary Opera, Falstaff and Die Fledermaus for Calgary Opera and Opera Hamilton, Albert Herring for Vancouver Opera and Pacific Opera Victoria and Madama Butterfly and La Traviata for Calgary Opera. Her special association with these two companies has also resulted in acclaimed productions of The Rake’s Progress, Barber’s Vanessa, Otello and Simon Boccanegra.

During her longstanding relationship with Pacific Opera Victoria, Ms. Leyshon has created over 20 new productions. Highlights include Eugene Onegin, Macbeth, two separate productions of Don Giovanni, Pirates of Penzance, and a rare revival of Vittorio Giannini’s The Taming of the Shrew and the Canadian premiere of Blitzstein’s Regina.

While the majority of this operatic work has been in the traditional repertoire, Ms. Leyshon’s experience as a dramaturge and director of new theatre work has led her to develop and direct a number of new opera productions including Game Misconduct by Leslie Uyeda and librettist Tom Cone, which had a successful premier at Festival Vancouver. She has also been invited to workshop a number of contemporary pieces at The Banff Centre and assisted in the preparation of Mary’s Wedding, a new opera based on Stephen Massicotte’s award-winning play for Pacific Opera Victoria’s world premiere in 2011. 

Ms. Leyshon has a particular passion for working with and teaching young and emerging artists and is the recipient of Canada’s Commonwealth Medal for her contributions to the arts. She has conducted master classes for opera training programmes in Calgary, Victoria, Courtenay, and Banff.