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Victoria Stevens creates unconventional opera and theatre shows that interrogate form, function and agenda. Born and raised in South Africa, her work as a cultural provocateur actively probes identity politics, positioning the stage as a site of cultural inquiry and a space for transformative dialogue. She believes in the ability of theatre to address a multiplicity of intricate themes at the same time, peeling back layers of text to expose simultaneous possible meanings. She aims to make work that speaks to a wide range of individuals, making the sometimes distant-feeling thematic material of opera accessible to most, if not all. She has directed new productions for the STAATSOPER HANNOVER (Philip Glass' THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER), GRAND THÉÂTRE de GENÈVE, (co-direction LA TRAVIATA), the CAPE TOWN OPERA (BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE), NATIONALTHEATER MANNHEIM (IL TRIONFO del TEMPO e del DISINGANNO; HÄNSEL und GRETEL; Eine WEIHNACHTSGESCHICHTE), THEATER UND ORCHESTER HEIDELBERG (Jonathan Dove's THE MONSTER in the MAZE), WILHELMA THEATER STUTTGART (DIE FLEDERMAUS), the NEW GENERATION FESTIVAL Florence (LE NOZZE DI FIGARO) and London's OPERA IN THE CITY FESTIVAL (world premiere THE NERO MONOLOGUES). She is the 2nd prize winner of the biennial EUROPEAN OPERA DIRECTING COMPETITION (EOP- Opera Europa/Camerata Nuova) and a 2025 RING AWARD SEMIFINALIST with her conceptual production κόρη (KÓRĒ) - A Variation on Monteverdi's ORFEO. Her 2024 OTELLO for the STAATSTHEATER MAINZ, acclaimed by critics as "an important new feminist perspective... psychologically profound, a powerfully gripping, harrowing evening", garnered her double nominations as DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR and PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR in OPERNWELT'S Kritiker Umfrage Awards.
Victoria is a mentee of British opera and theatre director KATIE MITCHELL. She was a Director-in-Residence at the FESTIVAL D'AIX-EN-PROVENCE WOMEN OPERA MAKERS residency, as well as workshop projects at LA MONNAIE, OPEROSA FESTIVAL BELGRADE and the DUTCH NATIONAL OPERA'S OPERA FORWARD FESTIVAL. An avid proponent of video as a language for exploring psychological sublayers to characters, she enjoys a longterm collaboration with cinematographer LUKAS EICHER, as well as designers ANNA-SOFIA KIRSCH, BASIA BIŃKOWSKA and CHARLOTTE WERKMEISTER. As a revival & assistant director, Victoria has worked with LA MONNAIE DE MUNT, OPERA BALLET VLAANDEREN, OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH, THÉÂTRES de la VILLE de LUXEMBOURG, ARENA di VERONA, TEATRO REGIO DI PARMA, DUTCH NATIONAL OPERA, LANDESTHEATER LINZ and NATIONALTHEATER MANNHEIM, where she was a staff director from 2018 to 2023. Victoria trained as an opera singer in Glasgow and Cape Town, where formative experiences working with South African artist and director William Kentridge ignited her passion for directing. She graduated with an Honours Degree in Western Classical Music from the UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN and a Master of Music from the ROYAL CONSERVATOIRE of SCOTLAND's Alexander Gibson Opera School (AGOS), before pursuing an MA in Stage Direction & Dramaturgy at the VERONA ACCADEMIA DI BELLE ARTI (Accademia per l'opera Italiana di Verona). Her instincts as a singer colour her directing voice, facilitating an immersive and visceral approach to working with singing actors.
Victoria is based in Berlin.
