Full Biography

Rose Freeman is an award winning stage director, teacher, writer, and producer of theatre and opera. A Wolftrap Opera Directing Fellow 2020-2022, Freeman had the honor of working on Floyd’s Susannah, Verdi’s Traviata, Bologne de Saint-George’s L’Amant Anonyme and Holst’s Savitri and Viardot’s Cendrillon while also directing the studio artist scenes program in 2020. Operatic stage direction credits include the 2023 revival of Spears’ Jason and the Argonauts for Lyric Opera of Chicago, Strauss’ Fledermaus with Opera Mississippi, Mozart’s Magic Flute with Harrower Opera, Viardot’s Cendrillon with City Lyric Opera, (Richard) Strauss' Die Liebe Der Danae at Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Stravinsky’s L'Historie Du Soldat at Temple University, and Weber’s Der Freischütz. At Third Eye Theatre Ensemble, of which zie is a founding member, direction credits include Han Lash’s Beowulf, Kamala Sankaram’s The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace, Juliet Palmer's Stitch, Daniel Crozier's With Blood With Ink, Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters, Mohammed Fairouz’s Sumeida’s Song, and both Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium and The Consul. World premieres include Elisabeth Rudolph’s Petticoats and Sliderules, Alexandra Enyart’s Witness, Evan Kassof’s Ganymede 5, and Eric McDonnell's Cosmic Ray and the Amazing Chris. 

Freeman has spoken on panels for Opera America, National Opera Association, and the Chicago Theatre Symposium, participated in the 2012 DirectorsLabChicago, and 2017 La MaMa Umbria Intl. Symposium for Directors. Freeman’s production of Stitch was named Best New Opera Production, and Third Eye Theatre Ensemble was nominated for Best Opera Company by the Chicago Reader in 2019, The Medium (2014) and Sumeida’s Song (2015) were both named top 5 operas by NewCity. Zie is a recipient of the National Opera Association's 2020 JoElyn Wakefield-Wright Stage Director Fellowship and the city of Philadelphia’s 2022 Illuminate the Arts Grant.

Freeman received an MFA in Directing at Temple University through the inaugural Music Theatre Collaboration program and is developing a manual on acting strategies for operatic performance. Freeman brings great innovation and diverse artistic background to zir work having created national fine art shows for M Gallery of Fine Art, serving as managing producing director for Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, working as a stage manager for 10 years, performing in an Italian tour with Teatro di Viti, and production managing a national tour for Feld Entertainment’s Monster Jam Monster Truck Show. 

Zie has directed many plays, space generated theatrical events, burlesque events, nationally touring hiphop concerts, and workshops of new musicals and operas. Freeman is on faculty at Temple University. Academic directing and teaching work includes Mannes School of Music, Southern California University, Columbia College Chicago, University of the Arts, and Roosevelt University. Zie is Member Emeritus for the DirectorsLabChicago Steering Committee, and Mercury Store Lead Artist Freeman is a Marvel Artist www.rosefreeman.org