Greg Eldridge: Opera Director on Training and Career Advice

Greg Eldridge, a Melbourne-based director of music-based theatre, has worked on over 80 productions across 14 countries. He previously served as Professor of Directing in America and was a board member of Stage Directors UK in England. An ArtsHub member since 2009, Eldridge studied performing arts at Monash University, gaining foundational knowledge across multiple theatre departments. He emphasizes the importance of seeing as many performances as possible, noting that his job as an usher at the Art Centre in Melbourne exposed him to around a thousand shows. Eldridge advises emerging directors to use mid-career professionals as resources, and highlights cultural differences in theatre practices, such as in Germany where directors can adjust props, versus America where only designated staff may do so. He finds opera exciting for its ability to reinterpret human history and make it relevant today.