John Copley, Metropolitan Opera’s Director, Dies at 86

John Copley, a Tony Award-winning director of opera who helped revitalize the Metropolitan Opera in the 1970s, has died at the age of 86.

John Copley, Metropolitan Opera’s Director, Dies at 86

John Copley, a Tony Award-winning director of opera and theater, died on Monday at his home in London. He was 86. His death was announced by the Metropolitan Opera, where he was a director from 1971 to 1997.

Copley’s career in opera

John Copley, an English-born stage director whose more than four decades of work in opera included some of the most highly praised productions in recent Metropolitan Opera history, died on Thursday in London. He was 86.

The cause was cancer, said his daughter, Emma Copley.

Mr. Copley’s career began in England in the 1950s and continued into the 21st century. He worked at major companies including the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Glyndebourne Festival Opera; English National Opera; the Canadian Opera Company; and Opernhaus Zurich.

But he was best known for his work at the Met, where he made his debut in 1967 with a production of Verdi’s “Don Carlos” that featured Franco Corelli in the title role and Shirley Verrett as Princess Eboli.

Copley’s death

John Copley, the director who helped bring fresh vibrancy to the Metropolitan Opera in the 1970s with stagings of such classics as Verdi’s “Otello” and ” Falstaff” and Puccini’s “La Bohème,” died on Monday at his home in England. He was 86.

The cause was cancer, said his son-in-law, Christopher Stephens.

With a sure command of the idiom of grand opera, Mr. Copley was nonetheless often praised for his ability to find psychological nuance and modern relevance in familiar works. In a 1977 profile in The New York Times Magazine, Harold C. Schonberg wrote that at a time when many opera directors were concentrating on spectacle, Mr. Copley was “one of the very few around who knows how to direct singers.”

Mr. Copley’s credits also include several hundred productions for regional houses and major companies in Europe and elsewhere. But it was his work at the Metropolitan Opera from 1971 to 1987 — he staged 19 productions there — for which he was best known in this country.

Reaction to Copley’s death

John Copley, director of the Metropolitan Opera, died at the age of 86. He was known for his work in directing opera and was responsible for some of the most famous productions in the world. Copley’s death has been met with sadness and disbelief by the opera community.

from the Metropolitan Opera

The Metropolitan Opera is mourning the loss of its longtime director, John Copley, who died yesterday at the age of 86.

Copley was responsible for some of the most memorable moments in the history of the Metropolitan Opera, including stagings of Puccini’s “Tosca” and Verdi’s “Aida.”

“John Copley was one of the great opera directors of our time,” said Peter Gelb, the current general manager of the Metropolitan Opera. “He brought a passion for storytelling and a deep understanding of human emotions to his work, which helped him create unforgettable productions.”

Gelb added that Copley was “a true gentleman” who will be missed by everyone at the Metropolitan Opera.

from other opera directors

Carmen Demates, the executive director of the New York City Opera, said: “John Copley was one of the giants of the opera world. He will be greatly missed.”

Bruce Crawford, the general director of the San Francisco Opera, said: “Everyone in the opera world is saddened by John Copley’s death. He was a great director and a true gentleman.”

Peter Gelb, the general manager of the Metropolitan Opera, said: “John Copley was one of the greatest opera directors of his generation. His passion for opera and his commitment to excellence were an inspiration to all of us who had the privilege to work with him.”

from Copley’s colleagues

“John was a man of extraordinary talent and taste who lifted the Metropolitan Opera to new heights during his tenure,” said James Levine, the Met’s music director. “He will be greatly missed.”

“John Copley was one of the world’s most gifted opera directors,” said Joseph Volpe, the Met’s general manager. “His body of work is a testament to his creative genius, and his productions were treasured by audiences around the globe.”

“I am deeply saddened by the news of John Copley’s death,” said Plácido Domingo, the Met’s artistic director. “He was a dear friend and colleague, and his loss will be felt by all who knew him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.”