David Coleman
David Coleman conducts worldwide on the concert platform and in the theatre. He performs in an extensive repertoire of opera, symphonic, chamber and choral concerts and in classical and modern ballet productions. He passionately promotes new music, receiving acclaim for innovative programming and performance. His recorded work reflects this range. He regularly appears on radio and television discussing music, dance and their performance.
Having begun his career as repetiteur and conductor at the London Opera Centre, David Coleman went on to conduct opera galas and concerts in major British venues and to appear in international music festivals. His appointment as Principal Guest Conductor of London Festival Ballet (English National Ballet) marked the beginning of his great appreciation of this art form, in which his work is so celebrated.
Rudolf Nureyev appointed David Coleman as Musical Director of his own company Rudolf Nureyev and Friends. They had a long and close association, he is a renowned exponent of Nureyev’s productions. He travelled widely with him, conducted most of the London Nureyev Festivals, premiered several of his major choreographies and recorded the music for several Nureyev films.
From these engagements and subsequently at the Paris Opera, David Coleman gained extensive experience in the performance of the entire canon of the Ballet Russes.
Among the many principal European Houses he works with, there have been special associations with Paris Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Opéra National de Bordeaux, Théâtre du Capitole Toulouse, Teatro San Carlo Napoli, Teatro dell’ Opera di Roma and Semperoper Dresden. In particular there is a very close relation over many years with La Scala Milan.
In recent years he toured extensively in China, the Far East, the Middle East and Australia. It was on tour to Kuwait with La Scala in January 2020, that David Coleman enjoyed his first collaboration with the orchestra of the Hungarian State Opera. He is now a regular guest conductor at Budapest and is composing and recording with them.
Maestro Colemanʼs musical life continues as composer and he writes for the concert platform, theatre and TV.
The French publisher BMB Paris (Mario Bois Editions) holds a catalogue of a number of David Coleman’s works.
David Coleman previously conducted the Nureyev Gala 2003 at the Vienna State Opera and the end-of-season Gala in 2005. He returns to the Vienna State Ballet to conduct the Ballet Gala 2026.