Anderson Nunnelley

Anderson Nunnelley, black and white portrait by concrete steps

Anderson Nunnelley is a director, designer and producer.

Trained inside the opera house, he now creates for the stage, on screen, within gallery walls and found spaces, and is interested in what connects and expands these audiovisual experiences.

Work

A singer in an ornate red gown and crown surrounded by reaching dancers, bathed in red light

Das kalte Herz / Nuit sans Aube

Associate Director
Staatsoper Unter den Linden · Opéra-Comique · 2026
Production by James DarrahPhoto: Stéphane Brion

A singer in a sequined gown and cream wrap kneels on stage clutching a crumpled silver flower, in Les Troyens

Les Troyens

Director & Designer
Seattle Opera · 2025Photo: David Jaewon Oh

Svadba

Creative Producer
Boston Lyric Opera · Opera Philadelphia · 2021 · Film

A singer reaches out from behind hanging green ribbons as a cellist plays, in El Relicario de los Animales

El Relicario de los Animales

Co-Director
Long Beach Opera · 2025
Production by James DarrahPhoto: JJ Geiger

A singer's face emerging from a deep bed of shredded paper in a shaft of sunlight

Earth Ears: A Sonic Ritual

Creative Producer
Long Beach Opera · 2024
Production by James DarrahPhoto: Lori Pond

Carmen crouched low in a white blouse and black skirt, staring forward

Carmen

Associate Director
LA Opera · Houston Grand Opera · Detroit Opera · 2026
Production by Thaddeus StrassbergerPhoto: Cory Weaver

B.

Creative Director & Producer
Boston Lyric Opera · 2022 · Docuseries

Women in veils and a burqa lit in amber and blue against darkness, one cradling a baby, in A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Associate Director
Seattle Opera · 2023 · World premiere
Production by Roya SadatPhoto: Sunny Martini

desert in

Assistant Director & Creative Producer
Boston Lyric Opera · Long Beach Opera · 2021 · Film

A stop-motion puppet in a lace gown floats in a window between green curtains, from The Fall of the House of Usher↗

The Fall of the House of Usher

Creative Producer
Boston Lyric Opera · 2020 · Stop-motion film
Production by James Darrah

Carmen in a black leather coat over a red blouse, lit against a dark stage

Carmen

Revival Director
Seattle Opera · Cincinnati Opera · 2026
Production by Paul CurranPhoto: Sunny Martini

Cio-Cio-San in a pleated white robe before a wall of glowing red lanterns, in Madama Butterfly

Madama Butterfly

Revival Director
Utah Opera · Pittsburgh Opera · 2025
Production by Matthew OzawaPhoto: Philip Groshong

Stage

  1. 2026
    CarmenRevival Director · Seattle Opera · Cincinnati Opera
  2. 2026
    CarmenAssociate Director · LA Opera · Houston Grand Opera · Detroit Opera
  3. 2026
    Das kalte Herz / Nuit sans AubeAssociate Director · Staatsoper Unter den Linden · Opéra-Comique
  4. 2025
    Les TroyensDirector & Designer · Seattle Opera
  5. 2025
    El Relicario de los AnimalesCo-Director · Long Beach Opera
  6. 2025
    Il viaggio a ReimsAssistant Director · Opera Philadelphia
  7. 2025
    RigolettoAssistant Director · Santa Fe Opera
  8. 2025
    Madama ButterflyRevival Director · Utah Opera · Pittsburgh Opera
  9. 2024
    Earth Ears: A Sonic RitualCreative Producer · Long Beach Opera
  10. 2024
    Madama ButterflyAssistant Director · LA Opera
  11. 2023
    Pelléas and MélisandeAssistant Director · Santa Fe Opera
  12. 2023
    A Thousand Splendid SunsAssociate Director · Seattle Opera
  13. 2022
    Lucia di LammermoorAssistant Director · LA Opera
  14. 2022
    FalstaffAssistant Director · Santa Fe Opera
  15. 2022
    BlueAssociate Director · Seattle Opera
  16. 2021
    The Lord of CriesAssistant Director · Santa Fe Opera
  17. 2020
    REV 23Associate Director · PROTOTYPE Festival
  18. 2018
    Proving UpAssistant Director · Opera Omaha

Screen

  1. 2022
    B.Creative Director & Producer · Boston Lyric Opera
  2. 2021
    SvadbaCreative Producer · Boston Lyric Opera · Opera Philadelphia
  3. 2021
    desert inAssistant Director & Creative Producer · Boston Lyric Opera · Long Beach Opera
  4. 2020
    The Fall of the House of UsherCreative Producer · Boston Lyric Opera
  5. 2020
    Soldier SongsAssociate Producer & Art Director · Opera Philadelphia

GRAMMY nomination · Soldier Songs
OPERA America, Artistic Creation in Digital Excellence · Svadba 2023, Soldier Songs 2022

About

A Los Angeles–based director, designer and creative producer creating audiovisual experiences and music-driven storytelling for stage, screen and site-specific spaces.

Trained inside the opera house, he has served on the directing staffs of LA Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Seattle Opera and Boston Lyric Opera, including the world premieres of A Thousand Splendid Suns, Proving Up and The Lord of Cries, and as associate to James Darrah on Das kalte Herz (Staatsoper Unter den Linden; Opéra-Comique). His screen work includes the GRAMMY-nominated Soldier Songs and Svadba, winner of OPERA America’s Digital Excellence Award.

Recent work includes the Les Troyens concerts he designed and directed at Seattle Opera and Pauline Oliveros’ El Relicario de los Animales for Long Beach Opera. He is a former Peace Corps volunteer in Mali.

Presented atStaatsoper Unter den Linden, Opéra-Comique, LA Opera, Seattle Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Boston Lyric Opera, Long Beach Opera, Opera Omaha, PROTOTYPE Festival New York, KANEKO, Boston Public Library, Heritage Square Museum, Angels Gate Cultural Center.