Hal France

During a thirty five-year professional career as an opera conductor, Hal France has led organizations and performed with opera companies and symphony orchestras around the United States. In recent seasons his expanded activities include speaking and advocating for the arts. His positions include Executive Director of KANEKO (2008–2012), Artistic Director of Opera Omaha (1995–2005), and Music Director of the Orlando Philharmonic (2000-2006).

In 1981, he made his professional debut at Washington’s Kennedy Center. He served the Houston Grand Opera first as Associate Conductor and later as Resident Conductor over a four-year span. He has conducted performances for the New York City Opera, Seattle Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Santa Fe Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Calgary Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Chautauqua Opera, Minnesota Opera, Utah Opera and Symphony, Cleveland Opera, Dayton Opera, Shreveport Opera, Opera Carolina, Wolf Trap Opera, Opera Festival of New Jersey, Tulsa Opera, Portland Opera, Kentucky Opera, Hawaii Opera Theater and Orlando Opera.

His 2016 conducting season includes Hawaii Opera Theatre for The Magic Flute and Rigoletto with Quinn Kelsey and The Beggars Opera at Lawrence University. In 2015, he performed Macbeth with the Chautauqua Opera, Showboat at the Portland Opera and The Magic Flute at DePaul University. 2014 included Mark Adamo’s Little Women, a double bill of Pagliacci and Carmina Burana for Hawaii Opera Theatre and 33 Variations for the Blue Barn Theatre. 2013 included Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath for Northwestern University, Bluebeard’s Castle and Carmen for Opera Omaha and a return to the Central City Opera for Showboat.

Role with GPTC: PlayFest Conductor (Stranger from Paradise)