Toronto-born Joshua Major is in his 15th year on the faculty of the University of Michigan where he oversees the Opera Program, both teaching and directing. He began his stage directing career over 20 years ago at the age of 23 with La Cenerentola for Opera Omaha. Soon after, Mr. Major worked as an assistant to Rhoda Levine at Juilliard, Cynthia Auerbach at both Chautauqua Opera and New York City Opera and William Gaskill at the Welsh National Opera. Mr. Major has worked as a stage director for the past 20 years throughout the United States and Canada developing on impressive repertoire of productions. Some recent engagements include L’elisir d’amore for Cleveland Opera; The Marriage of Figaro for Tulsa Opera; Lucia di Lammermoor for Indianapolis Opera; La Bohéme and Carmen for Opera Omaha; The Magic Flute and Lakme for Michigan Opera Theatre; La Traviata for Opera Theatre of St.Louis; The Marriage of Figaro and L'Enfant et les Sortileges for Music Academy of the West; Little Women for Central City Opera and Opera Omaha; Cosi/Cosa for Orhestra of St.Lukes and the Lincoln Centre Institute; Der Kaiser Von Atlantis and La Bohème for Yale University Opera; and Eugene Onegin, Cendrillon and Il tabarro for the Israel Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv. Mr.Major is the current Artistic Director of the Pine Mountain Music Festival located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This summer festival produces a 5 week season of Opera, Symphony and Chamber Music. In addition he continues to be associated with Joan Dornemann’s Israel Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv, where he has directed annually since 1993.
