Constantine Costi

Constantine Costi is a director, writer working across opera, film, and theatre.
Most recently Constantine directed and adapted MELBOURNE, CHEREMUSHKI for Victorian Opera, and SWEENY TODD for NIDA. Constantine also directed LA TRAVIATA for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, as MAHAGONNY SONGSPEIL and THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS double bill The Old Fitz Theatre.
In 2020 he directed the feature film A DELICATE FIRE for Pinchgut Opera based on the madrigals of Barbara Strozzi, wrote the libretto of a new Australian opera CASSANDRA for Victorian Opera by composer Simon Bruckard, directed Monochromatic; a video series of piano portraits for Phoenix Central Park, and directed an online DON GIOVANNI production for the Shanghai Opera with Maestro Xu Zhong.
Constantine has also directed ORONTEA (Pinchgut Opera) KARAKORUM (Australian Brandenburg Orchestra); BITTERSWEET OBSESSIONS, and MESSIAH; Puccini’s SUOR ANGELLICA (Opera Projects Sydney); and IL TABBARO at Alfie’s Sydney, and REQUIEM for Ensemble Apex and Phoenix Central Park.
Constantine has directed revivals of Harry Kupfer’s OTELLO (OA), IL VIAGGIO A REIMS (Dutch National Opera, OA and Royal Danish Opera), Sir David McVicar’s Vienna State Opera production of FALSTAFF (National Centre of Performing Arts, Beijing); LA JUIVE and LA TRAVIATA (OA).
He also assistant directed productions of RING CYCLE (Chen Shi-Zheng) and WOZZECK (Salzburg Festival, OA, Canadian Opera Company, Metropolitan Opera); HUNDE GOTTES (Schauspielhaus Vienna); and THE MARRIAGE OF FIGGARO (OA). Constantine has also worked with director Chen Shi-Zheng as assistant director of Puccini’s TURANDOT (OA, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour), as well as co-directing WERTHER with director Elijah Moshinsky (OA).
Other work includes directing and co-creating the world premiere of jazz musical THE OVERCOAT (Belvoir’s 25A); co-writing the immersive theatre experience VISITING HOURS (Vivid Festival); and directing THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FUEL AND THE FIRE (NIDA).
Constantine is the recipient of The Berlin New Music Opera Award with The Opera Foundation for Young Australians where he worked with Komische Oper Berlin’s directing team on the premiere of Tchaikovsky’s EUGENE ONEGIN directed by Barrie Kosky.
Other directing credits include: THE HYPOCHONDRIAC , THE SHEWING-UP OF BLANCO POSNET (NIDA); YOUNG ARTISTS’ PROGRAM SHOWCASE (Opera Australia); Thomas Arne’s THE SAILOR’S RETURN (Nagambie Lakes Opera Festival); THE MASTER AND MARGARITA after Bulgakov (Aboriginal Centre of the Performing Arts); ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST by Dario Fo (Zenith Theatre); and THE CANTERBURY TALES by Chaucer (George Georgiou Inc). Constantine has previously been a member of the Belvoir Artists’ Workshop and was affiliate director with Griffin Theatre.
Constantine’s screen credits include: music videos, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE HIDING (Hedge Fund) and INTO MY ARMS (Bloods) for Triple J Unearthed; and the short films FERGUSON AND DAISY AND URSULA and DONNY.
Constantine is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Directing and holds a Bachelor of Communications (Media Arts and Production) from the University of Technology, Sydney. He was co-artistic director of Red Line Productions at the Old Fitz 2021-2022