Eleanor Strutt is a young Stage Director and Choreographer of opera and musical theatre, based in London.
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ABOUT
Eleanor is a young British stage director and choreographer who works across opera and musical theatre. She is currently a Junior Fellow Assistant Director for Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Passionate about the interplay of text, music, and movement, Eleanor leverages her vocal and dance background to empower performers to embody their characters. She regularly works with young singers, nurturing their talent and cultivating their artistry and stagecraft.
Recent highlights include directing Robert Ward’s The Crucible for UCOpera, working as assistant director for The Ring Cycle and for Don Giovanni with Regents Opera, directing L’Elisir d’Amore with Opera South East, working as assistant director for the revival of Oliver Mears’ Rigoletto at the Royal Opera House, writing and directing Becoming Carmen for Prologue Opera, and directing/choreographing Singin’ in the Rain for Geoids Musical Theatre.
Future work includes director of the European Premiere of Gregory Spears’ opera Fellow Travelers for UCOpera, and assistant director for Scottish Opera’s double bill: Trial by Jury / A Matter of Misconduct.
Eleanor graduated with a first class degree in Music from King’s College London, and a distinction for her MMus in Vocal Performance at Trinity Laban, studying with Joan Rodgers, Alison Wells and Robert Bottreill.
During her masters studies at Trinity Laban, Eleanor led the student opera company Puzzle Piece Opera, and discovered a new passion for directing. Eleanor created and directed a jukebox opera, Cinderella, and an English adaptation of Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor, both for Puzzle Piece Opera. Following graduation, she was invited back to direct excerpts for the Trinity Laban Opera Scenes, including excerpts from Cenerentola in December 2019, La Finta Giardiniera and Die Fledermaus in November 2021, and Gianni Schicchi and L’incoronazione di Poppea in April 2023. Eleanor also directed a scene from Così fan tutte for the launch of the Sir Charles Mackerras Circle at Trinity Laban in 2022.
Eleanor has extensive experience as an assistant director, working with Simon Iorio, Ashley Dean, Nic Muni, Ernesto Doñas, Chris Lane, Laura Attridge, Tony Baker, Harry Fehr and Sarah Helsby-Hughes.
Choreographic work includes The Pirates of Penzance (National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company), The Mikado (National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company), Saturday Night Fever (Geoids Musical Theatre), Shrek the Musical (Quay Players), The Princess of Trebizonde (New Sussex Opera), Legally Blonde (Quay Players), Thoroughly Modern Millie (King’s College London Medsoc Musical Theatre), Anything Goes (King’s Musical Theatre) and Amahl and the Night Visitors (Trinity Laban).
As a singer, Eleanor made her professional debut aged 18 with Heritage Opera as Barbarina in their tour of The Marriage of Figaro; other notable roles include Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro (Heritage Opera), Gianetta in The Elixir of Love (Heritage Opera), Edith in The Pirates of Penzance (Heritage Opera), Shepherd Boy in Tosca (Heritage Opera), Papagena in The Magic Flute (Heritage Opera), Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel (Conservatoire de Musique de Genève) and Lena in Svadba (Trinity Laban Opera).