Ned Canty
General Director

Ned Canty is a stage director with credits from companies such as Glimmerglass Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Santa Fe Opera and New York City Opera. The New York Times has described his stage direction as having "a startling combination of sensitivity and panache," and Opera News said in describing a recent production, "The future of American opera is in good hands." As Festival Director of the New York Television Festival since 2005, he helped the organization grow into a nationally recognized forum for the discovery of new television talent, as well as a leader in the exploration of digital and new media storytelling.

Canty's career in opera reflects a strong interest in working with emerging artists. He has helped to inspire a new generation of singers through his work with leading opera companies and major conservatories such as The Curtis Institute, The Juilliard School, the Israeli Vocal Arts Institute and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He has collaborated with a number of composers and librettists on the development of new works through American Opera Projects and has directed world premieres for AOP in New York and Tel Aviv. A self-described “pop culture omnivore,” Canty is a firm believer in the relevance of opera to all generations, and takes special interest in introducing opera to new audiences.

Before focusing on opera, Canty had a thriving career in theatre, working as an actor, director and stuntman at Hartford Stage Company, The McCarter Theatre and the New York Renaissance Festival among others. After pursuing postgraduate work in Shakespearean performance with The Acting Company in London, England, he spent a year touring the country with The National Players. Canty is a graduate of the Catholic University of America, where he graduated summa cum laude with a major in drama and classical philosophy.