The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance announces that Stephanie Havey will join the Department of Voice & Opera as an assistant professor this fall. Havey is an acclaimed stage director, producer, and educator who is recognized for her commitment to creating compelling, resonant storytelling.
Havey’s extensive professional portfolio includes directing and staging staff credits for many of the nation’s most distinguished opera companies and symphony orchestras, including San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, Seattle Opera, Opéra de Montréal, Detroit Opera, the Dallas Opera, the Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, Utah Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, the Atlanta Opera, Arizona Opera, Virginia Opera, Sarasota Opera, New York City Opera, Hawai’i Opera Theatre, and the Lyrique-en-mer International Festival de Belle-Île.
“The SMTD Department of Voice & Opera is thrilled to welcome Stephanie Havey to our faculty,” said Stephen West, professor and chair of the Department of Voice & Opera. “She comes to us from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where she was the director of opera theater, and she brings an impressive resumé of staged productions around the world.” “Her deep educational and industry expertise will be of immense benefit to our students on their artistic journeys.”
A passionate advocate for the creation and development of new operatic repertoire, Havey has collaborated with composers Missy Mazzoli and Lembit Beecher for Opera Philadelphia’s Double Exposure series and OPERA America’s New Works Forum. She served for three seasons as resident stage director for the North American New Opera Workshop. She is currently collaborating with composer Jennifer Jolley on the development of a new opera, supported by the OPERA America Discovery Grant for Women Composers.
Havey also serves as artistic director of Finger Lakes Opera (FLO) in Rochester, New York, centering ambitious interdisciplinary partnerships with organizations such as Garth Fagan Dance, the Rochester Oratorio Society, the University of Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery, and the Rochester Institute of Technology.
“Joining the esteemed faculty of the School of Music, Theatre & Dance is a great privilege,” said Havey. “I am passionate about the important work that happens in the classrooms and the stages where artists begin their artistic journeys. I have dedicated my career to cultivating safe artistic spaces for creatives in the rehearsal room and delivering emotionally resonant productions that encourage self-reflection and community building. I look forward to fostering these values in the next generation of opera artists at the University of Michigan as we forge the future of the industry together.”
As an educator and mentor, Havey’s impact is far-reaching. During her tenure as director of Opera Theater at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, she spearheaded cross-campus and community collaborations, including an ongoing partnership with the Allen Memorial Art Museum for the curation of operatic-themed tours and classes and a partnership with Oberlin College Libraries for the centennial of Melville’s Billy Budd; directed and produced an educational opera outreach tour for local elementary schools; initiated livestreaming of all conservatory opera productions to expand access; and directed a wide range of repertoire including Albert Herring, L’Orfeo, Cendrillon, La finta giardiniera, and the academic premiere of Rhiannon Giddens’s Omar.
Since 2023, Havey has served as dramatic coach for the Houston Grand Opera Young Artists Vocal Academy and continues to be a guest director and instructor for some of the country’s most prestigious conservatories and professional training programs.
Havey earned a BM from Furman University and an MM from Florida State University.