Chas Rader-Shieber

Stage Director

Stage Director Chas Rader-Shieber is known both for his bold and inventive productions and for his
acute musical instincts. Reviewing his staging of Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen Toronto’s
Classical 96.3 FM praised Rader-Shieber’s “daring and visionary approach to staging” and declared
him “a force to be reckoned with in the opera world.”

Chas begins the 2024-2025 season with a return to Orpheus PDX for a new production of Handel’s
Aci, Galatea, e Polifemo, followed by Gounod’s Faust with the Academy of Vocal Arts. He also makes
his company debut with North Carolina Opera, remounting his production of Le nozze di Figaro.

Recently named Artistic Partner as part of a three-year agreement, Chas continues his long-standing
relationship with Des Moines Metro Opera in the summer, directing a new production of
Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress.

The previous season began with a company debut at New Orleans Opera where he directed a new
production of Le nozze di Figaro. Rader-Shieber also returned to Curtis Institute of Music for
Handel’s oratorio, L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, and to Des Moines Metro Opera for a new
production of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande.

Mr. Rader-Shieber has enjoyed a long relationship with the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music,
where he has directed over 30 operas. Chas Rader-Shieber has established lasting relationships with
multiple other companies, such as Des Moines Metro Opera (Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream,
Rameau’s Plateée, Rusalka, Gluck’s Orfeo, Die Entführung aus dem serail), Portland Opera (La finta
giardiniera, Die Fledermaus, Rinaldo, Gluck’s Orfeo), and Pinchgut Opera (Hasse’s Artaserse, Cavalli’s
Giasone, Charpentier’s David et Jonathas, L’amant jaloux).

In addition, his productions have been seen around the world, at houses such as Lyric Opera of
Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National
Opera, New York City Opera, Opera Theatre St. Louis, Boston Lyric Opera, Los Angeles Opera,
and many more.

Highlights from previous seasons include his debuts with Kentucky Opera for Ariadne auf Naxos,
Pittsburgh Opera for La traviata, Opera Colorado for a new production of Die Tote Stadt, the Macau
Festival for Faust, and Boston Lyric Opera for a new production of La traviata. He also joined Indiana
University for Alcina, debuted with Utah Opera with his production of Die Entführung aus dem serail,
New York City Opera for Handel’s Flavio and Orlando, Opera Theatre of St. Louis for Una Cosa Rara,
Washington National Opera for Tamerlano, and Houston Grand Opera for Cunning Little Vixen.