KATE GUELKE
OPERA AND THEATRE DIRECTOR
ABOUT
Kate Guelke is a Northern Irish opera director and producer. She is a current recipient of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Support for the Individual Artist Award for her work on Ian Wilson's chamber opera 'The Collector'. She is a recent recipient of the Arts Council of Ireland's Opera Bursary researching community opera models; a former Stage Directors UK Opera Bursary recipient for a residency at Oslo Opera; and a former Achates Foundation ambassador.
As the Artistic Director of Spark Opera, Kate has directed and produced full-scale opera classics, pop up opera, opera for children, community opera, music theatre and new opera shorts. Her work has garnered the company an Allianz Business Branding nomination, two National Lottery Northern Irish Arts Award and National Finalist/Shortlist nominations, a Boston Contempo Arts Festival Director’s Choice Award and a Student Entrepreneurs of the Year Award, in addition to critical acclaim in the local and national press.
As a freelance director Kate has directed and assistant directed over a dozen productions for NI Opera, the Belfast Ensemble, Aachen Opera, Den Jyske Opera, the Yorke Trust and Queen’s University Music Department. She has assistant directed Oliver Mears (ROH), Isabella Bywater (DJO), Rachel O’Riordan (Sherman Theatre Cardiff), Joan Rechi (Aachen Opera) and Walter Sutcliffe (NI Opera).
Kate is a former MAKE artist with Theatre Forum Ireland and ACE award winner with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
She recently attended 'Synchromesh' in Timisoara, an international arts symposium on radio drama.
Kate is producing for Ulster Touring Opera, DU Dance NI and New Horizons Music.