CV
Eva-Maria Melbye is a Danish opera director and artistic director of Den Fynske Opera. She graduated in Opera Directing from the University College of Opera in Stockholm in 2008.
Selected Productions
2027
21 May — DADA:X (TBA)
Steingrímur Rohloff / Peter Laugesen · Den Fynske Opera, Denmark
2026
27 November — Giulietta e Romeo (revival)
Nicola Vaccaj · Den Fynske Opera, Denmark
22 May — Cosí fan tutte
W. A. Mozart · Den Fynske Opera, Denmark
2025
14 March — Giulietta e Romeo
Nicola Vaccaj · Den Fynske Opera, Denmark
Named Opera Production of the Year outside Copenhagen 2025 by CPH Culture
19 August — La traviata
Giuseppe Verdi · Danish National Opera, Denmark
2023
Artistic Director, Den Fynske Opera, Denmark
4 October — Sylvia
Andrea Tarrodi · Piteå Kammeropera, Sweden
2022
2 October — La traviata
Giuseppe Verdi · Staatstheater Augsburg, Germany
21 July — L’ombra di un meriggio lontano
Virginia Guastella · Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte di Montepulciano, Italy
Co-production with Urban Opera Festival, Bologna, with further performances in Bologna in October 2022.
2021
Open Orchestra
Copenhagen Phil, Denmark · Concerts and tour
2019
La finta giardiniera
W. A. Mozart · MUK / Kammeroper, Vienna, Austria
2018
Die Wand — world premiere
Landestheater Linz – Musiktheater, Austria
Nominated for the Österreichischer Musiktheaterpreis
2017
Faust
Charles Gounod · Norrlandsoperan, Sweden Gounod · Norrlandsoperan, Sweden
70 Years of Opera
Danish National Opera, Denmark
A production celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Danish National Opera.
2016
Senza Sangue — Peter Eötvös
Bluebeard’s Castle — Béla Bartók
Bergen National Opera / Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Semi-staged double bill conducted by Peter Eötvös.
International Opera Awards
Nominated in the Young Director category.
2015
2 October — Helte og Skurke
Danish National Opera, Denmark
Biblioteket i Babel
Steingrímur Rohloff
Nominated for the Reumert Award in the category Best Opera
January — Sol går op, sol går ned — world premiere
Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen · Takkelloftet, Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen
The production played to sold-out audiences and was extended with additional performances.
2014
7 November — Biblioteket i Babel — world premiere
Steingrímur Rohloff · Athelas Sinfonietta / Hofteatret, Copenhagen
2012-2013
2013 — Revival Director
Cavalleria rusticana, originally directed by Kasper Holten, and Pagliacci, originally directed by Paul Curran · Norwegian National Opera, Oslo
2013 — Danish Agency for Culture
Recipient of a grant supporting her future artistic work.
2012 — OFF12
Participant in the talent programme for film directors at Odense International Film Festival, Denmark.
March 2012 — ENOA Workshop for Opera Stage Directors
Munich, Germany
2011
2 December — Before Breakfast / The Stronger
Thomas Pasatieri / Hugo Weisgall · Denmark
October — ENOA Workshop for Stage Directors
Teatr Wielki, Warsaw, Poland
Opera en Création
Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, France
January–February — Les contes d’Hoffmann — Revival Director
Den Nye Opera, Bergen, Norway
Original production directed by Nicolas Joël.
2009-2010
2010 — Le nozze di Figaro
Bergen, Norway
Director. Eva-Maria was also responsible for the production’s subsequent tour of Denmark.
2009 — Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen
Assistant Director to Artistic Director Kasper Holten.
During this period, Eva-Maria worked on productions at the Royal Danish Opera including Skin Deep, directed by Richard Jones, and Don Carlos, directed by Kasper Holten.
In summer 2009, she joined Kasper Holten in Budapest during the filming of the opera film Juan, which premiered in 2011.
2004-2008
2008 — Dido and Aeneas
Henry Purcell
Eva-Maria’s directing debut. She subsequently directed the production in Denmark in 2009.
2008 — Le nozze di Figaro
W. A. Mozart · Confidencen, Stockholm, Sweden
Chamber version. Revived in 2009.
2008 — Häxans Ö (La liberazione di Ruggiero dall´Isola d´Alcina) Version for children
Francesca Caccini · Confidencen, Stockholm, Sweden
Created for young audiences and subsequently seen by more than 3,500 children across Sweden. Revived in 2009.
2007 — Don Giovanni
W. A. Mozart · Stockholm, Sweden
2004–2008 — University College of Opera, Stockholm
Diploma in Performing Arts and Media, specialising in Opera Directing.
2002-2004
2003–2004 — Università per Stranieri di Perugia
Perugia, Italy
2002–2003 — Bühnen der Landeshauptstadt Kiel
Kiel, Germany
Internship and work as an assistant director.
2002 — The Little Mermaid
Eva-Maria’s first independent opera project: a self-written and self-directed production with music by Rasmus Zwicki, created as her final production at the Waldorf School.