MARC ASTAFAN made his professional debut on New Year's Eve 1996 as director and choreographer of Mozart's THE MAGIC FLUTE at The Eugene Opera in Oregon.  Several debuts followed with productions in Texas, Nevada, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Florida and Alaska. Marc's varied and ever-expanding repertoire includes the three middle Verdi operas (RIGOLETTO, TROVATORE, TRAVIATA ), and Puccini's greatest works (BOHEME, TOSCA, BUTTERFLY).  A career highlight in 1999 was again with FLUTE when he made his New York debut directing the piece with Opera Orchestra of New York on the site of the Egyptian Temple of Dendur at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  In 2000 he joined the directing staff of The Metropolitan Opera where he directed various singers' performances in TOSCA in 2002 and staged a revival of LE NOZZE DI FIGARO in the spring of 2006.  Other Mozart stagings include COSI and GIOVANNI. Marc has also directed and choreographed the three great Gilbert and Sullivan operettas in the round (PINAFORE, PIRATES, MIKADO) and all three were co-productions with the Colorado Symphony and Central City Opera.

Dedicated to the training of young opera artists since the beginning of his career Marc joined the faculty of The New England Conservatory in Boston in 1994.  Since then he has directed over twenty productions there, taught classes in Acting, Directing and Audition Techniques as well as holding the title of Director of Opera Production since 2003.  He has also taught master classes and/or directed for the young artist programs at the opera companies of Chautauqua, Central City, Pittsburgh, Tanglewood, Music Academy of the West, Florida State University and many more. Assistant directing credits, in addition to The Met, include productions at Santa Fe, Boston Lyric and Michigan Opera Theatre.  Prior to his directing debut Marc dabbled in every aspect of the performing arts.  Everything from modeling and dance to theater and opera.  He even taught music in the New York State Public Schools.  He got his formal training in music at Schenectady County Community College, The College of Saint Rose, in Albany, NY and The Boston Conservatory.  He studied voice, acting, directing and music education.  The rest of his training was on stage at Ballet North, Carthage Little Theater, Albany Civic Theater, Park Playhouse, Lake George Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, lots of summerstock and as one of those back-up singer/dancer boys in the Miss New York State Pageant!

Most recently Marc directed his first Rossini and his first Massenet - both composer's versions of the Cinderella tale, CENERENTOLA and CENDRILLON.  And for something completely different, Poulenc's DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES . Next season, in addition to his full-time teaching schedule and directing both productions at New England Conservatory, Marc makes yet another company debut with TOSCA at Connecticut Opera, he returns to Nevada Opera to add a new piece to his repertoire, HANSEL AND GRETEL and also returns to Center City Opera Theatre in Philadelphia for a new production of MADAMA BUTTERFLY at The Kimmel Center.

Marc is the ninth of nine children, his full name is Marcus Anthony Nikolas Astafan, and he was born and raised in the small town of Carthage, New York. He is of Lebanese, Irish, French (and a splash of English) descent and currently lives in New York City.

A MESSAGE FROM MARC:
When asked if I "specialize" in a certain repertoire, and I get asked that a lot, I have to say, "No, I don't."  I've probably lost a lot of jobs that way, but I would never box myself in like that.  I just like a good story and great music.  Being mostly Lebanese and Irish (and Catholic!) storytelling and performing is in my blood.  And the way I've been chosen to tell stories is by directing operas.  My favorite kind of opera, or my "specialty" is the one that I'm currently rehearsing or preparing to rehearse.  I guess it's up to others to decide what my specialty might be (and they have).  I've been called everything from "masterful" and "brilliant" to "a culprit" and "inept."  My productions have been "teeming with action" and "inert", they have also been "extravagant" and "simple." I have directed "the best production" and (my all-time favorite!) "the worst-ever staging of an opera." I have been called "subtle" and "over the top."  My work has been compared to that of Busby Berkeley, Bob Fosse and Alfred Hitchcock! With critiques like these, how could I ever "specialize"?   What I do like to do with my productions is entertain.  I want the audience (and the cast) to have a good time when they come to see one of my productions - because they deserve it.  Thanks, and enjoy the show!