The world-renowned English director (1930-2017) was equally celebrated for theater and opera. He staged the world premiere of Sir Michael Tippett’s The Knot Garden (1970) at London’s Royal Opera House and was Artistic Director of Glyndebourne Festival Opera from 1984 to 1990, directing more than 20 productions. He worked at many other leading houses, including LA Opera (where his production of The Magic Flute originated), the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Bayreuth Festival. Among his landmark productions in theater were many world premieres, among them works of Harold Pinter, Peter Shaffer, and John Barton. Hall first attracted significant attention when still in his twenties, directing the English-language premiere of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. He subsequently founded the Royal Shakespeare Company, serving as Director for eight years. Once appointed Director of the National Theatre in 1973, he supervised that company’s move from the Old Vic Theatre to its new home on London’s South Bank. After 15 years, he left the National Theatre, founded the Peter Hall Company, and in 2003 became founding director of the Rose Theatre Kingston.
