Today we’d like to introduce you to Grant Preisser.
Hi Grant, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Orlando, attending Dr. Phillips High School, where I was introduced to the world of theater. I fell in love with it: the whole process – acting to production to administration, from Shakespeare, to modern classics, to musicals…especially musicals. Opera came later to me as I auditioned and was accepted into the voice program at Florida State University (FSU). My freshman year I was cast in the chorus of my first opera, and I found a world that truly put everything I loved into one nice little package: theatre, acting, singing, music, production, the ability to create new worlds and connect with audiences in a visceral and emotional way. It was incredible.
Since falling in love with opera, I have had the privilege to have an extensive professional career that has explored the worlds of art, design, and music in a variety of facets. Finishing my undergraduate degree at FSU I served as production coordinator for Florida State Opera for two seasons before attaining a graduate degree in interior design, also from FSU. Moving to Atlanta after the completion of my interior design degree, I worked for CDAI, an audiovisual, lighting and theatre design/consulting firm, as well as taking on contract work with Avient Museum Services developing and designing exhibits for various local organizations. After my work with CDAI and Avient, I then took a job with Heery International as a commercial interior designer focused on corporate office, education, and healthcare spaces.
In addition to my full-time work at Heery, I started teaching at American Intercontinental University (AIU)., and then became program chair for Savannah College of Art and Design’s Atlanta interior design program. Over the next six years with Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), I held a variety of roles, including Director of Institutional Effectiveness for the Atlanta campus, responsible for accreditation, assessment, and special projects for the entire location. Through these special projects, I was part of the team to launch the Hong Kong location for SCAD. After its first year of operation I transitioned to this new campus as the academic head and after another year served as the vice president for the location responsible for all operations and development of the institution.
Throughout my time leaving FSU the first time, I have always kept one foot in the music/opera world performing with the Atlanta Opera as a member of the chorus, being a member of the early music ensemble Schola Cantorum in Atlanta, and as a member of the Hong Kong Bach Choir. This continued to feed my passion for music, and I decided to pursue another masters degree in opera stage direction as a way of continuing my scholarly interests, while expanding my understanding, approach, and methodology in telling stories on stage through the medium of opera. Which has brought me to my current role as artistic director for Opera Orlando, while also freelancing as a stage director and scenic designer.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Roads are never smooth, and my path has not been a linear one. Each career/industry shift has presented a whole new set of challenges, and many times I felt like I was starting from scratch. The learning curve on each position has been steep, but that has also provided me a flexible approach to projects pulling from a diverse array of experience and not being stuck in one thought process.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am currently the artistic director for Opera Orlando, while also directing and designing across the country. As artistic director I supervise all production and marketing efforts for the company, and in the upcoming season, I am scenic designer for all-new productions of Macbeth, Cendrillon, and Treemonisha, as well as directing a site specific production of Werther and developing a new double bill of a one-act version of Beatrice + Benedict and Cavalleria Rusticana. In the 2023-24 season I was scenic designer for Tosca, Frida, and The Juniper Tree, and was stage director for productions of Rusalka and Lucia di Lammermoor. In October of 2023, I also provided scenic design for Florida State Opera’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, and in June of 2024, I designed and directed Lucia di Lammermoor for St. Pete Opera. Coming out of COVID-19, Mr. Preisser directed and designed productions of The Magic Flute, Gianni Schicchi, the world premiere of Death of Ivan Ilych, and La Traviata, as well as designing productions of Carmen, Rigoletto, The Daughter of the Regiment, and the world premiere of The Secret River, all for Opera Orlando.
In the 2019-20 season I provided scenic design for The Marriage of Figaro and directed and designed the Florida premiere of All is Calm: the Christmas Truce of 1914. I also returned to the University of Michigan as guest faculty, directing and designing their production of Die Fledermaus and directing Stradella’s La Susanna in partnership with the University’s Early Music Ensemble (both were cancelled due to COVID-19).
My 2018-19 season commenced with his third production at UrbanArias in Washington, D.C. directing and designing the world premiere of Peter Hilliard and Matt Boresi’s The Last American Hammer, conducted by company general director Robert Wood. This production was also featured as part of Opera America’s New Works Forum. His time with UrbanArias was followed by a return to Opera Orlando where he provided scenic design for a new production of Tales of Hoffmann directed by Eve Summer and conducted by Jorge Parodi, and directed and designed the company’s holiday production of Hansel & Gretel.
I was also back at University of Michigan as visiting professor of opera, teaching acting and movement courses and directing and designing a new production of Alcina, conducted by Stephanie Rhodes Russell. I also made my debut with Opera in the Heights in Houston, directing and designing Piazzolla’s Maria de Buenos Aires, conducted by company artistic director Eiki Isomura. In May I directed a concert version of Così fan tutte for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by music director Ward Stare, followed by a residency with Chautauqua Opera directing their outreach version of Il barbiere di Siviglia and assistant directing The Ghosts of Versailles, directed by Peter Kazaras, as well as a full production of Il barbiere di Sivviglia, directed by Kathleen Belcher. His 2018-2019 season finished with directing Frida for Opera Steamboat, and directing and designing Pagliacci for the Savannah Voice Festival.
Past seasons featured my work as scenic designer for Opera Orlando productions of Brundibar, La bohème, and La Cenerentola, and directing University of Michigan’s production of Le nozze di Figaro, conducted by Martin Katz, and Opera Steamboat’s young artist production of Cunning Little Vixen, conducted by Joshua Horsch. I also returned to the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara as assistant director for L’elisir d’amore working alongside acclaimed director James Darrah and conductor Speranza Scappucci and directed and designed the Usonian Edition premiere of Daron Hagen’s Shining Brow with UrbanArias, having also directed and designed The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat for the company in its previous season.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I am a pretty open book, and my work truly is my life in a good way. Not too many surprises here.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.grant-preisser.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grantpreisser/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grant.preisser
Image Credits
Ashleigh Ann Gardner Jake Smith, The Bearded Lens Jordan Slusher
