Lotfi Mansouri

Lotfi Mansouri has been San Francisco Opera's general director since1988; his association with the Company dates back to 1963, when he directed six productions. He has directed over 60 productions for the San Francisco Opera. Born in Iran, he attended college at UCLA and studied briefly with Lotte Lehmann at the Music Academy of the West. Mr. Mansouri served as resident stage director at Zurich Opera from 1960 to 1966. In 1965, he started working simultaneously at the Geneva Opera, where he became head stage director in 1966 and stayed until 1976. During this period, he began fulfilling engagements as guest director at various houses throughout Italy and North America, including Chicago, Houston, Santa Fe, Philadelphia, Dallas and both the Metropolitan and NewYork City Opera companies. In 1976, he was named general director of the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto, where he directed 30 new productions, 12 of them Canadian premieres.

Here is a recent article about Mansouri's retirement from the San Francisco Opera:

Opera says goodbye to Mansouri

David Wiegand   Wednesday, July 4, 2001

Lotfi Mansouri still has a few more weeks before he hands the keys to his War Memorial office to the Opera's new general director, Pamela Rosenberg, but Bay Area opera fans had a chance to say goodbye at the final "Aida" of the Verdi Festival on Sunday night.

His old friend and colleague Frederica von Stade was on hand to present Mansouri with the company's highest honor, the Opera Medal, roughly equivalent to the Medal of Honor in the world of the San Francisco Opera. In the company's 79-year history, only 29 people have received the honor. They include such luminaries as Marilyn Horne, Dorothy Kirsten, Sir Charles Mackerras and von Stade herself.

But in case Mansouri ever worries about where his next paycheck is coming from (and he doesn't, believe me), the outgoing general director was honored by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. The stage crew union's Edward C. Powell, international vice president, and Richard Putz, president of Local 16, honored Mansouri with the IATSE Award, which entitles him to full membership in the union. In other words, between directing gigs all over the world, he can haul scenery and opens curtains if he feels the need.

Accepting the honors, Mansouri first thanked his wife of 47 years, Midge, and his daughter, Dr. Shireen Mansouri, who were on hand for the event.