Kathleen Smith

Stage director Kathleen Smith Belcher is currently engaged in her 20th year as a member of the directing staff at the Metropolitan Opera.

Among others, she has worked extensively with the San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera and the San Diego Opera. Belcher assisted Peter Sellars on the world premiere of John Adams’ Dr. Atomic in San Francisco and helped to remount the production for The Netherlands Opera (Amsterdam), and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Woody Allen, Michael Mayer, Bartlett Sher, Susan Stroman and Julie Taymor are just a few of the directors with whom she has collaborated. As a member of the Metropolitan Opera directing staff, she has collaborated on numerous “Live in HD” broadcasts, including the Emmy-winning production of Don Pasquale.

The 2021- 2022 season for Belcher sees her join Florida Grand Opera and Orlando Opera for Rigoletto, as well as her return to The Metropolitan Opera for Porgy and Bess, La Bohème, and Rigoletto. Recent seasons include company debuts directing Gianni Schicchi at La Scala, Rigoletto for Kentucky Opera, a new production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia for Chautauqua Opera, and assisting on James Robinson’s new production of Porgy & Bess at ENO and Michael Mayer’s new production of La Traviata at the Met as well as Baseball: A Musical Love Letter and La Bohème for Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

The New York Times praised her recent Metropolitan Opera directing debut of Il Barbiere di Sivigila “a pitch-perfect interpretation of the dazzling display and abundant wit in Rossini's work.” Her direction of the highly-acclaimed production of Madama Butterfly for the San Francisco Opera was hailed as “exceptional, giving the audience a number of indelible moments” (San Francisco Classical Voice) and “studded with imaginative and telling details” (San Francisco Chronicle). Belcher also directed Woody Allen’s highly-praised Los Angeles Opera production of Gianni Schicchi for the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy, the Teatro Real in Madrid, and the revival for LA Opera to rave reviews. Belcher most recently directed the English Language The Barber of Seville for the Metropolitan Opera, a well- received La Bohème for the Portland Opera, and a highly acclaimed Così fan tutte for the Sarasota Opera.

While serving as Artistic Director of Opera at the University of Kansas, Belcher directed the National Opera Association award winning production of Werther as well as productions of Hansel and Gretel, The Rake’s Progress, Cosí fan Tutte, Gianni Schicchi, and L’enfant et les sortileges. Belcher has also worked with the opera programs at The Florida State University and Carnegie Mellon University.