We are pleased to announce the appointmemt of Michele Ruta Moxham as director of productions for the forthcoming production of : 'City of Humanity 1 - Behind the Fortifications'.
Michael was born to a family of Italian musicians, opera singers and a mother who was a top international, Italian Coach. Although raised and educated in London, Michael has been immersed in the dual cultures of both nationalities since the day he was born. Educated and trained between these two traditions of Italian and English theatre, Michael has mixed both these worlds, to shape and influence his direction. He speaks 3 languages fluently: English, French, Italian (with a strong knowledge of Neapolitan dialect) Currently he is learning German.
Michael's directing career began in drama when he graduated with a distinction in his 'directing' exam, as part of his BA Joint honors in Drama/English.Lit fromSurrey University. After finishing University, Michael was awarded a first time scholarship by the Italian Institute of Culture to study theatre in Milan, following an invitation by The Piccolo Teatro to study under Giorgio Strehler and Luca Ronconi and then moved to Firenze to work as an assistant for the Maggio Musicale.
Michael recently had his German debut in the Autumn of 2015, when he had the great honor of directing 'Hansel and Gretel' for the Oldenburg Statstheatre.
Due to the production's huge public and critical success, with all performances sold out, Michael was also invited back to direct 'Sweeney Todd'. Due to their success, Hansel and Sweeney were revived in the autumn of 2017 and run simultaneously, for their third and second revival respectively. 'Sweeney Todd' will also transfer for a select number of performances at Heilbronn.
Other opera productions include: Silkmoth (specially commissioned one woman opera on the topic of Honor Killings). L'Ajo Nell'Embarazzo Opera Barga, Xerxes OTC Ireland, La Voix Humaine Wexford Festival.
For New Sussex Opera: Hugh the Drover, The Poisoned Kiss (UK Premiere) both by Vaughn Williams. Falstaff, Lucia de Lammermoor, Tobias and the Angel by Johnathen Dove. For Trinity College of Music: Il Cappello di Paglia (UK premier) by Nino Rota and Cabaret by John Kander.
As revival and co/ director, Michael has worked with some of Europe's top opera companies: Theatre an Der Wien, (where last Autumn he was co-director on their 10th anniversary production of Don Giovanni, originally directed by Keith Warner), La Monnaie Brussels, Royal Theatre Cophenhagen, Opera North, ENO, St.Cecilia Rome, Spoletto Festival, Torino Reggio, Opera Zuid, Opera Ireland, Theatre Naradowa Warsaw, City of Birmingham Opera, and in the summer of 2018 Associate/Revival director on 'Walkure', for the Covent Garden Opera Ring Cycles 2012/2018. One major highlight as an assistant/revival director came when Michael was asked to stage 'Walkure' at the Royal Albert Hall BBC proms and broadcast live. The event was conducted by Sir Tony Pappano and sung by Bryn Terfel, Placido Domingo, Waltraute Meier, and Lisa Gasteen.
He has also worked as director in the following opera schools and conservatoires: Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music London, Birbeck University Performance course, Birmingham Conservatoire, where he directed opera scenes and ran stage craft courses. Michael's educational work will also continue and be a main feature of his role as director on City of Humanity. The work will include workshops, as a part of a recruitment drive and stagecraft master-classes for singers.