Eric Melear joined the National Opera Studio in London in July 2024 as Artistic Director, where he sets the artistic vision and oversees the planning, selection, and programming for their highly-acclaimed Young Artist Programme. He liaises with NOS’ six partner companies (Royal Ballet and Opera, Glyndebourne, English National Opera, Opera North, Welsh National Opera, and Scottish Opera) to coordinate NOS activities and to support their artistic and casting work.

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Mr. Melear has carved out a diverse career as a conductor and pianist, working regularly on multiple continents and with a wide variety of singers and companies. A member of the music staffs at both the Vienna State Opera and The Metropolitan Opera, he has guest conducted at the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival and at numerous U.S. opera houses, including Houston Grand Opera, Arizona Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, among others. Mr. Melear has also long been a champion of young artists, having led Studios at Houston Grand Opera while Associate Music Director and at Wolf Trap Opera, as well as serving as a guest coach for programmes and universities in the U.K., Italy, and the U.S.

 

During his tenure with the Vienna State Opera, Mr. Melear conducted performances of Das verfluchte Geisterschiff, Die Entführung ins Zauberreich, Wagner’s Nibelungen Ring for Children and Pünktchen und Anton and assisted Zubin Mehta, Peter Schneider, Simone Young, among many others. Sharing the duties of preparing the 45-50 operas a season, he conducted the full-time stage orchestra, regularly coached the singers of the Ensemble and the Studio programme, and was featured in recitals and on continuo. 

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"Eric Melear conducted with confidence and sensitivity, drawing highly-charged playing from the orchestra in a performance that felt like a new artistic milestone for Wolf Trap.”

– Opera Magazine (UK)

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“... [The singers] also sang the heck out of Gassmann's sparkling, witty score (pruned down from four hours to under three), supported firmly by Eric Melear's lithe, nuanced conducting and the orchestra's spirited playing."

– Opera News

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“In the pit, conductor Eric Melear drew nuanced,

colorful playing from the orchestra."

– Opera Today

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