Timothy Nelson leads a new generation of young directors. In 2002 he founded the American Opera Theater, an ensemble incorporating his interests in movement, music, and design, challenging audiences' ideas about opera as theater. Nelson has become known for innovative productions of traditional repertoire, rarely heard works of both opera and theater, and for the creation of new concept works. He continues to develop new approaches to expanding concepts of theater, concert, and ritual.
With AOT he has created productions of John Blow's “Venus and Adonis”, Henry Purcell's “Dido and Aeneas”, Francesco Cavalli's “La Calisto”, Marc-Antoine Charpentier's “David et Jonathas”, and the widely acclaimed circus production of “Acis and Galatea”. He served as both music and stage director for Cavalli's “La Didone” with the Washington Early Music Festival, stage director for the Bloomington Early Music Festival's production of Mozart's “Il Re Pastore”, and guest director for Oberlin Conservatory's production of Charpentier's “Les Plaisirs de Versailles”. In addition to his work with early opera, Nelson has pioneered the creation of new works such as “Las Cuerdas del Titiritero” with Fenix de los Ingenos, “Ground” for AOT, and the multi-media “Fleury” for Indiana University. Recently named resident director at Georgetown University, the coming season brings a new production of Handel's “Messiah”, Charpentier's “David et Jonathas” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Phillip Glass' “Hydrogen Jukebox, a cabaret version of “Carmen”, and a busy touring season with AOT.
A committed educator, in 2004 he founded Les Enfants Terribles, a biannual summer workshop for select young vocalists. He leads workshops in opera and acting at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and at Georgetown University. Besides his work with AOT he has spent one season with the Wolf Trap Opera Company. His work as a director and designer has been praised as at once "progressive" and "knowledgeable" - "propulsive" and "fluid". The New York Times calls his work “the future of opera” while the Baltimore Sun has called his productions “vivid, postmodern” with “striking stage pictures”, saying “Nelson can be counted on to pursue thoughtful directorial choices that provoke as well as entertain. The Washington Post says his works are “of fine invention and sumptuous beauty”.