James' productions encompass premieres of new and rediscovered pieces alongside works from the core repertoire. Recent directing includes: La traviata (Buxton International Festival), Don Pasquale (Opera North at Nevill Holt), Carmen (If Opera), Le Carnaval de Venise (Vache Baroque) and La rondine (Opera North). Other new productions include Chérubin, Le docteur miracle (Royal Academy Opera), Figaros Bryllup (Kilden Teater-og Konserthus), Don Giovanni (British Youth Opera), L'elisir d'amore (Iford Arts), l'Ospedale (Aldeburgh / Wilton's Music Hall / Bury Court Opera), The Magic Flute (Wild Arts), Mansfield Park (Opera South), and six productions for Blackheath Halls Opera, including La belle Hélène, which was nominated for an International Opera Award.
James has directed revivals for English National Opera, Opera North, Glyndebourne and English Touring Opera, and worked on the directing staff at the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, Salzburg Festival, Royal Danish Opera, National Theatre, Barbican, and the Edinburgh International Festival. His site-responsive stagings include the world-premiere of Rosalind for Helix Music staged in the chapel at Kings College (London) in early 2026, the modern operatic triptych, Snow, set across three floors of the Bussey Building in Peckham, and the multimedia opera Beauty and the 7 Beasts, written by six different composer-librettist teams, which was premiered at Brixton Jamm in 2022.
James has considerable experience working with young artists. In addition to his work with BYO and RAM he has directed opera scenes for the Royal College of Music, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Trinity Laban. He is also a trustee of Opera South, a regional touring company that exists to provide performing opportunities for emerging artists.
As a translator, James has created new English versions of Donizetti's Rita, Chabrier's Une education manquée, and the Prologue for Campra's Le Carnaval de Venise.
James has directed revivals for English National Opera, Opera North, Glyndebourne and English Touring Opera, and worked on the directing staff at the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, Salzburg Festival, Royal Danish Opera, National Theatre, Barbican, and the Edinburgh International Festival. His site-responsive stagings include the world-premiere of Rosalind for Helix Music staged in the chapel at Kings College (London) in early 2026, the modern operatic triptych, Snow, set across three floors of the Bussey Building in Peckham, and the multimedia opera Beauty and the 7 Beasts, written by six different composer-librettist teams, which was premiered at Brixton Jamm in 2022.
James has considerable experience working with young artists. In addition to his work with BYO and RAM he has directed opera scenes for the Royal College of Music, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Trinity Laban. He is also a trustee of Opera South, a regional touring company that exists to provide performing opportunities for emerging artists.
As a translator, James has created new English versions of Donizetti's Rita, Chabrier's Une education manquée, and the Prologue for Campra's Le Carnaval de Venise.
