Lawrence Edelson is highly respected not only as a critically acclaimed stage director, but also as a visionary company leader who has created programs in the areas of artist mentorship and new works development that have served as models of innovation for opera companies around the country.

As a Director, Lawrence’s work has been praised for the ability to fuse vivid story telling with deeply expressive imagery. His productions have been called “ingenious” and “imaginative” by Opera News, and “stunningly touching and entertaining” by the Washington Post. These diverse productions have included the American Premiere of Telemann’s Orpheus for Wolf Trap Opera, Philip Glass’s Hydrogen Jukebox for Fort Worth Opera, La Traviata for The Minnesota Opera, Il barbiere di Siviglia for Hawaii Opera Theatre, The Cradle Will Rock, Il postino, La Cenerentola, and H.M.S. Pinafore for Opera Saratoga, Carmen for Toledo Opera, Little Women for Michigan Opera Theatre, a double-bill of La serva padrona and Trouble in Tahiti for the Adler Fellows of San Francisco Opera at Opera Santa Barbara, the New York premiere of Fauré's Pénélope for Manhattan School of Music, Cosí fan tutte for Boston University’s Opera Institute, and the World Premiere of The Toymaker off-Broadway as part of the New York Musical Theater Festival.