EDWARD BARNES is an award-winning composer, lyricist and producer. A graduate of the Juilliard School, he is the winner of Guggenheim and NEA Fellowships, and the Stephen Sondheim Award for “the creation of innovative musical theater.” His opera, musical theater and theater scores have been produced by L.A. Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Lincoln Center Theater Company, Minnesota Opera, Mark Taper Forum, San Francisco Mime Troupe, Virginia Opera, Opera Company of the Philippines, Children’s Theater Company of Minneapolis, Welsh National Opera and many more. A founding director of the L.A.-based opera-fusion troupe The Metro Ensemble, Edward’s producing credits include Tracy Letts’ play,Superior Donuts, on Broadway, Ricky Ian Gordon’s operaTheGrapes of Wrath (starring Jane Fonda, Nathan Gunn and Christine Ebersole) at Carnegie Hall, Gordon’sA Coffin In Egypt (starring Frederica von Stade) for Lincoln Center’s American Songbook, and live cast recordings of Kurt Weill’sKnickerbocker Holiday (Ghostlight/Sh-k-boom Records) andThe Road of Promise (Naxos Records). A leading non-profit administrator, Edward has served as Executive Director of Gotham Chamber Opera, Producing Director of MasterVoices, and Managing Director of American Lyric Theater. From 2015-2023 he was the COO of the US Division of African Parks, a global nonprofit which protects and manages 22 national parks in 12 different African nations. A popular public speaker and teacher, he has been presented by the Chautauqua Institution, RoundTable Cultural Seminars, McKee Academic Seminars, and many universities around the US and in Canada. He is currently on the faculty of the Juilliard School.
