Renowned for her exceptional creativity and meticulous attention to detail, Stage Director Kathleen Smith Belcher has worked extensively with the San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and the San Diego Opera. Internationally, Belcher has directed at Teatro alla Scala (Milan, Italy) Teatro Real (Madrid, Spain), The Spoleto Festival (Italy), and has assisted at English National Opera and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Belcher assisted Peter Sellars on the world premiere of John Adams’ Dr. Atomic in San Francisco and helped to remount the production for The Netherlands Opera (Amsterdam), and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Michael Mayer, Bartlett Sher, Susan Stroman, and Julie Taymor are just a few of the directors with whom she has collaborated. Currently in her 22nd season as a member of the directing staff at the Metropolitan Opera, she has worked on numerous “Live in HD” broadcasts, including the Emmy-winning production of Don Pasquale.

Ms. Belcher’s 2022-23 season included directing Le Comte Ory for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Rigoletto for Pacific Symphony, and The Magic Flute for Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. Belcher co-wrote, produced, and directed an original piece entitled Baseball, A Musical Love Letter which was premiered by the Lyric Opera of Kansas City in 2021 and was produced again in May of 2023 by Opera Orlando. Upcoming engagements in the 2023-24 season include directing a new production of The Flying Dutchman for Opera Colorado, and joining The Metropolitan Opera for their new production of Carmen. Additionally, she directs a number of shows at the Moores Opera Center including a double bill of L'enfant et les sortilèges/M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le, Così fan tutte, and a workshop of Tom Cipullo’s Hobsons Choice.

The 2021- 2022 season for Belcher saw her join Florida Grand Opera and Orlando Opera for Rigoletto, as well as her return to The Metropolitan Opera for Porgy & Bess, La bohème, and Rigoletto. Other recent seasons included company debuts directing Gianni Schicchi at Teatro alla Scala, Rigoletto for Kentucky Opera, a new production of Il barbiere di Siviglia for Chautauqua Opera, and a return to Lyric Opera of Kansas City for La bohème. She also assisted on James Robinson’s new production of Porgy & Bess at English National Opera and Michael Mayer’s new production of La traviata at the Met.

The New York Times praised her recent Metropolitan Opera directing debut of Il barbiere di Sivigila “a pitch-perfect interpretation of the dazzling display and abundant wit in Rossini's work.” Her direction of the highly-acclaimed production of Madama Butterfly for the San Francisco Opera was hailed as “exceptional, giving the audience a number of indelible moments” (San Francisco Classical Voice) and “studded with imaginative and telling details” (San Francisco Chronicle). Belcher also directed Woody Allen’s highly-praised Los Angeles Opera production of Gianni Schicchi for the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy; the Teatro Real in Madrid; and the revival for LA Opera to rave reviews. Belcher has also directed the English language adaptation of The Barber of Seville for the Metropolitan Opera, a well-received La bohème for the Portland Opera, and a highly acclaimed Così fan tutte for the Sarasota Opera.

Belcher recently joined the faculty of University of Houston’s Moores School of Music as the Artistic Director of Moores Opera Center. While previously serving as Artistic Director of Opera at the University of Kansas, Belcher directed the National Opera Association award-winning production of Werther as well as productions of Hansel and Gretel, The Rake’s Progress, Cosí fan tutte, Gianni Schicchi, and L’enfant et les sortileges. Belcher has also taught at The University of Michigan, William Jewell College, Florida State University, and CoOperative at Rider University.