Since conducting major works at the Metropolitan Opera, Kirov Opera, and with L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, conductor John Keenan is in demand by many prestigious orchestras and opera companies. Known for a varied and extensive repertoire, he has emerged as one of the most important conductors of the works of Wagner, Mozart, Verdi, and Strauss. Most recently, he conducted an acclaimed Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the Metropolitan Opera, and he is the only American to conduct Wagner at the famed Kirov Opera.
He made his Metropolitan Opera debut at 26 years old, conducting Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and becoming one of the youngest conductors to ever conduct at the Met. The production was directed by Franco Zeffirelli and the cast included Thomas Hampson, Karita Mattila, Paul Plishka and Cheryl Studer. He was immediately re-engaged at the Met to conduct Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro with Kiri Te Kanawa, Frederica von Stade, Dawn Upshaw, Thomas Hampson, and Ferrucio Furlanetto. Also at the Met, he has also conducted Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with Rene Pape, and Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with James Morris, Johan Botha, Hans-Joachim Ketelsen, and Hei-Kyung Hong.
After making an acclaimed debut with the Kirov Opera in St. Petersburg, Russia, conducting Verdi’s Aïda, he has returned there to conduct Wagner’s Der fliegende Holländer, and a Gala production of Verdi’s Otello. He has also conducted Der fliegende Holländer with the Vancouver Opera, and Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier with the New Zealand Symphony, and has also conducted Puccini's La Bohème for the Santa Fe Opera, Verdi's Falstaff at the Spoleto Festival USA, Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore with the Washington and Los Angeles Operas, Bizet's Carmen and Mozart’s Così fan tutte with the Vancouver Opera, Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte for the Wolf Trap Festival, Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann for the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and Massenet’s Thaïs, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, and Puccini’s La Bohème with the Louisville Orchestra.
He has conducted Mozart's Mitridate with the Grand Théâtre de Genève and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro with the Opéra de Nice, and Puccini’s Madama Bufferfly with The National Opera of Norway.
A frequent guest conductor with the Minnesota Opera, he made his debut there conducting Verdi’s La Traviata, returning to conduct Puccini’s Tosca, Verdi’s Otello, Bellini’s Norma, Verdi’s Rigoletto, and Bizet’s Carmen.
In demand as an orchestral conductor, he has guest conducted the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and the New Zealand Symphony, as well as the orchestras of Louisville, Edmonton, Spoleto Festival, and the Vancouver CBC Symphony.
Maestro Keenan has also had the special distinction of having held positions on the conducting staffs of the Bayreuth and Glyndebourne Festivals, and having held the post of Chorus Master of the Metropolitan Opera.
