Sam
Helfrich began
his theatre career as a child actor in California, studying
at the young conservatory and performing on the main stage
at South Coast Repertory, a tony-award winning regional theatre.
As an undergraduate at Columbia University, he received a
BA in Russian language and literature, and spent six months
in Leningrad, USSR, to further his studies. After college
he moved to Spain, where he spent three years working and
studying. He received a certificate in Spanish language and
literature from the University of Barcelona. Upon returning
to New York, Mr. Helfrich studied at the 42nd Street Collective
(formerly Playwrights Horizons theatre school), where he
wrote and directed several plays for productions on theatre
row.
Later,
he completed his MFA in theatre arts at Columbia University’s
School of the Arts, studying with Eduardo Machado, Anne Bogart,
Robert Woodruff and others. After finishing his MFA, Mr. Helfrich
began to pursue opera stage direction full time. Proficient
in both Spanish and French, he began working in Europe immediately,
assisting on new productions of several operas in both Barcelona
and Geneva, while directing his own productions at home in
New York. His first opera project was a double bill of Miss
Havisham’s Wedding Night (Argento) and La Voix Humaine
(Poulenc) at Hofstra University. Soon after, he produced
and directed a fully staged production of Die Walküre (Wagner)
at Riverside Church in Manhattan.
In
2002 Mr. Helfrich formed his own theatre company, Captains
of Industry, to produce Transparency of Val, by Stephen
Belber. Mr. Helfrich’s production of Transparency of Val was
widely acclaimed during its limited run in 2002.
Mr.
Helfrich continues to direct opera and theatre in New York
and regionally. He made his Lincoln Center debut in 2003 with
a fully staged production of Rain, a new opera by composer
Richard Owen, at Alice Tully Hall. Recent opera productions
include The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny at
Opera Boston, Don Giovanni with Boston Baroque Orchestra, West
Side Story at Ash-lawn Opera Festival, The Abduction
from the Seraglio at Opera Omaha, Il Barbiere di Siviglia at
Kentucky Opera, Agrippina with Boston Baroque Orchestra
(2005 Boston Globe "Best production of the year"), L'Elisir
d'amore at the Berkshire Opera, La Voix Humaine at
Glimmerglass Opera, The Turn of the Screw at Pittsburgh
Opera, and others. Recent theatre productions include Eric
Overmyer's In a Pig's Valise, and Len Jenkins's Dark
Ride, both at Bard College.
Upcoming
new productions include Philip Glass' Orphée at Glimmerglass
Opera, Le Comte Ory with Juilliard Opera Center, Semele,
a collaboration between Opera Boston and Boston Baroque, and Aida at
Opera Omaha.
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