Over the past 25 years, Kazaras has also worked with great success as a stage director. His recent productions include The Thieving Magpie and the world première of a revised version of An American Tragedy at The Glimmerglass Festival; Samson and Delilah, La bohème, Le nozze di Figaro, and Il barbiere di Siviglia at Washington National Opera; and additional productions of La bohème at The Dallas Opera and Los Angeles Opera. In 2018, he scored a triumph with a new production of Korngold’s first opera, Der Ring des Polykrates, at The Dallas Opera. In 2022, he directed a new production of The Rake’s Progress and produced a chamber version of L’elisir d’amore directed by James Darrah. He also produced chamber productions of Acis and Galatea and Dido and Aeneas, directed by Crystal Manich and James Darrah, respectively.   

For his direction of Le nozze di Figaro at Seattle Opera in May of 2022, Broadway World wrote, "Kazaras made the most of the ingenious opera's comedic opportunities throughout the evening and captured the Rossini-like chaos and confusion of the act-ending ensembles with aplomb. As always, Kazaras excelled in the small touches that came off as waggish and witty yet subtle…” 

In addition to his work at UCLA, where he produced the world première of Lost Childhood and Juana, Mr. Kazaras recently directed Eugene Onegin with Music Academy of the West; Turn of the Screw, The Consul and the world première of An American Dream for Seattle Opera; The Ghost of Versailles with Chautauqua Opera; Bernstein’s A Quiet Place with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood; Cendrillon for The Julliard School; The Rape of Lucretia, a double-bill of Gianni Schicchi/The Medium, as well as La serva padrona, Holst’s Savitri, and Walton’s The Bear for the Merola Opera Program at San Francisco Opera. Additionally, he frequently gives master classes for the Washington National Opera Young Artists Program and Glimmerglass Opera.

Of a production of Norma with the Seattle Opera, The Seattle Times said, “his direction was remarkably good, theatrical and natural at the same time.” Likewise, of a production of Le nozze di Figaro for the Seattle Opera Young Artist program, he was praised for his “robust and lively” direction and his “clever, fast-paced staging” with reviewers noting that “Staging [Le nozze di Figaro] is a considerable challenge, one to which Kazaras adroitly rises. A dozen sly little gestures quickly establish character — and you can see every one of those gestures in the intimate ambience of the theater.” 

He has directed over twenty productions for Seattle Opera’s main stage and Young Artists Program, plus productions for Opera Cleveland, Madison Opera, Eos Orchestra, Red: {an Orchestra}, the Santa Fe Pro Musica, and festivals at Cabrillo and Caramoor. He directed for educational programs such as Merola at San Francisco Opera Center, the Wolf Trap summer program, the Chautauqua Institute Voice Department, the Academy of Vocal Arts, the Hartt College of Music, and Florida State University. At UCLA since 2007, he has directed, supervised, or produced over thirty productions during his tenure.

A frequent panelist on the Toll Brothers Metropolitan Opera Quiz, Mr. Kazaras is also in demand as a judge for international competitions. He has adjudicated all three iterations of the International Wagner Competition at Seattle Opera. He was a judge for the first Elardo International Competition in New York, Marilyn Horne’s competition at Music Academy of the West, the José Iturbi Voice Competition at UCLA, the Les Azuriales Festival in Saint-Jean Cap Ferrat in France, and has adjudicated twice at The Juilliard School. He has also served as a judge for District and Regional Auditions of the Metropolitan Opera National Council. In the summer of 2015, he returned to Les Azuriales Festival as a Master Teacher. In 2016 he taught in Busseto, Italy at Aprile Millo’s Operavision Academy. Peter Kazaras is a member of the Glimmerglass Festival Artistic Advisory Board as well as the New York Festival of Song Advisory Board.  

Current as of August 20, 2025