SCENOGRAPHERS Exhibition at OPERA America's National Opera Center
John Conklin, scenographer
John Conklin is a celebrated scenographer whose innovative designs for opera, theater, and ballet have graced stages across the United States and Europe. Tending toward conceptual rather than literal, his open approach to design possibilities has had an enormous influence on the scenic and stage expression of the performing arts.
His passion for the performing arts began in his youth, influenced by frequent visits to cultural venues in New York, Boston, and his hometown of Hartford. He honed his craft at Yale, earning both a BA and MFA, and under the tutelage of Donald Oenslager and at summer internships with Walter Felsenstein and Wieland Wagner. Other major influences on his work have come from close directorial collaborations with Jonathan Miller and Robert Wilson. Conklin’s extensive and ongoing body of work includes designs for the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, and many other prestigious institutions. He has received numerous accolades, including a Tony nomination and the Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatrical Design. He received an NEA Opera Award in 2011.
John’s collaboration with Boston Lyric Opera as set, costume and artistic advisor includes work together on dozens of productions, including Macbeth, Madama Butterfly, Così fan tutte, The Flying Dutchman, Rigoletto, I Puritani, La Bohème, Werther, The Merry Widow, Greek, Le Nozze di Figaro, Beatrice and Benedict, I Puritani, Don Carlos, La Rondine, Lucie de Lammermoor, Carmen, Agrippina, A Midsummer Night's Dream. He taught for many years at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
The collaboration between John Conklin and Boston Lyric Opera is one shared passion for the art of opera, resulting in productions that are as visually compelling as they are musically powerful. The longstanding relationship with John Conklin’s has had an indelible influence on Boston Lyric Opera productions; his designs have consistently pushed the boundaries of what is possible on stage, creating unforgettable operatic experiences. Working with John Conklin has been a privilege for Boston Lyric Opera. His artistry and vision have enriched our productions, making each one a potentially heightened visual and emotional experience for the audience.
Franco Colavecchia, scenographer; painter
Franco Colavecchia is a distinguished scenographer and painter, renowned for his contributions to opera and theater across the United States and Europe. He began his career in the UK at the Oxford Playhouse Company, and later he studied under Josef Svoboda in Prague. In 1970, Colavecchia's expertise earned him an invitation to teach at Harvard University and MIT, where he became an influential designer in Boston's theater scene.
Colavecchia established his own studio in Soho, New York, where he collaborated with iconic figures such as Frank Corsaro, Ian Strasfogel, and Gian Carlo Menotti. His internationally acclaimed work has graced some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including the Lincoln Center, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Monte Carlo Opera House. Among his numerous accolades, Colavecchia designed the sets for La Bohème featuring Luciano Pavarotti, a production that won an Emmy Award and captivated global audiences during its world tour.
Beyond his contributions to the stage, Colavecchia has imparted his knowledge at leading institutions such as Juilliard and Carnegie Mellon. Now in his 80s, Colavecchia focuses primarily on his painting, continuing to create and inspire with the same passion that has defined his career. The creation of MOSDO was the result of Raber Umphenour’s deep admiration for Franco Colavecchia’s work. Their bond, forged through years of collaboration, is at the heart of our museum’s founding. Raber Umphenour’s journey with Franco Colavecchia began at just 16 years old, a mentorship that developed into a lifelong friendship and collaboration that would ultimately lead to the founding of MOSDO.