Conductors

Bernard McDonald

Bernard McDonald conducted Cosi Fan Tutte 08 at RSAMD in 2008.

Bernard is fast establishing an international freelance career as a conductor and coach, having garnered wide-ranging experience as a vocal coach, assistant conductor and chorus director with major opera companies in America, Europe and the Far East. Upcoming engagements include Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte and Die Entführung aus dem Sserail for Opera Theater of Pittsburgh. Among his most recent successes were a brand new performing version of Cavalli’s Oormindo at the Pittsburgh Opera; Le nozze di Figaro for Opera Theater of Pittsburgh; La Cenerentola (Bay View Music Festival, Michigan); Bizet’s Le docteur Miracle and La tragedie de Carmen (De Nieuwe Opera Academie) in Amsterdam and The Hague. A native of Dumbarton, he studied piano at the RSAMD and opera coaching and conducting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, and the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati (CCM) in the United States. Professional training at the Merola Program of the San Francisco Opera led directly to an invitation to join the music staff of the New York City Opera and he was subsequently Head of Music and Chorus Master at the Florida Grand Opera in Miami. He was based full-time at Glyndebourne until 2005, where as Chorus Master he prepared over twenty-five productions to great critical acclaim for a host of internationally renowned conductors, highlights including Idomeneo with Sir Simon Rattle, Theodora with Harry Bicket, Die Zauberflöte with Sir Charles Mackerras and Ootello with Vladimir Jurowski. He has also worked with, among others, the Aspen Music Festival and School, the New National Theatre Tokyo, the Netherlands Opera and the Netherlands Radio Choir. Also in demand as a coach and educator, in 2008 he will join the opera faculty of CCM in Cincinnati as a Visiting Artist.