Lee Blakeley was born in Yorkshire and trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and Glasgow University. He recently directed new productions of The Pearl Fishers for the Santa Fe Opera and The Tales of Hoffmann for Canadian Opera Company. In 2011 he directed the French premiere of Sweeney Todd, starring Rod Gilfry, at theThéâtre du Châtelet Paris. His 2010 Orfeo Ed Eurydice for Minnesota Opera staring David Daniels, proved a triumph with the public and was universally acclaimed in the press. He has also had a great success with both the critics and public alike with his new production of Madame Butterfly at Santa Fe Opera and with the French premiere of A Little Night Music at the Chatelet in Paris, starring Leslie Caron, Greta Scacchi and Lambert Wilson. He has been an Associate Director for the Royal Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and English National Opera. (www.LeeBlakeley.com)