Background
David Carl Toulson is a stage director, producer and instructor of opera, praised for his clarity of storytelling and for bringing operatic characters vividly to life. His passion lies in taking a show from score to stage, crafting fresh, exciting productions that capture audiences’ imaginations and transport them into the magical world of opera. His career reflects a deep commitment to both artistic excellence and nurturing the future of the art form.
Regionally, his work has been seen in both mainstage and educational productions with companies such as North Carolina Opera, Central City Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Opera Idaho, Toledo Opera, Tri-Cities Opera, Winter Opera St. Louis, Bel Cantanti Opera, Connecticut Opera, Asheville Lyric Opera, Tulsa Opera and Piedmont Opera. Nationally, he has worked for several seasons on the directing staffs of Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera and Seattle Opera.
Since 2016, Toulson has served as the resident stage director for the Miami Beach Classical Music Festival, where he has directed acclaimed productions including Das Rheingold, The Cunning Little Vixen, Dead Man Walking, The Ghosts of Versailles, Der fliegende Holländer, Ariadne auf Naxos, Cendrillon, L’enfant et les sortilèges, Carmen and The Crucible.
Toulson is currently the director and instructor of opera at Binghamton University. His recent productions there include Die Fledermaus, How Nanita Learned to Make Flan by José Enrique González Medina, a double bill of Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi, a children’s version of Hansel and Gretel (featured in a WSKG documentary), L’incoronazione di Poppea, L’enfant et les sortilèges, The Magic Flute, and Monkey and Francine in the City of Tigers. Deeply committed to training the next generation of opera singers, he teaches, directs and coaches at Binghamton, and has previously served on the faculties of Temple University, The Catholic University of America, Webster University and the University of South Carolina.