Stuart Barker grew up in Ongar and studied Physics with Astrophysics at Royal Holloway, University of London.

He is Director of Training and Productions at British Youth Opera. Productions for BYO include The Vanishing Bridegroom, English Eccentrics, The Cunning Little Vixen, The Little Green Swallow, A Night at the Chinese Opera, Euridice and L’elisir d’amore.

Stuart is a founder member of Third Hand, the UK’s only dedicated puppet opera company, and has co-directed Puppet Lieder, Njogel (Tête à Tête) and their triple bill of Master Peter’s Puppet Show, Angela, an Inverted Love Story and Renard (Winner of Best Opera Production, Off West End Theatre Awards).

As Artistic Director of The Minotaur Music Theatre he has directed La voix humaine, A Dinner Engagement, Comedy on the Bridge, Sāvitri, The Waiter’s Revenge, Hin und zurück, A Man of Feeling, L’occasione fa il ladro, Riders to the Sea, The Bear, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Così fan tutte, Don Giovanni, Dido and Aeneas, Cox and Box, La bohème, The Wandering Scholar, La Cenerentola and Rita.

Productions for other companies include Don Giovanni (Centre for Opera Studies in Italy), La Vie Parisienne (Royal Northern College of Music), Black Sand (Tête à Tête and Grimeborn), Pavane for an Invisible Princess, Night Dance and The Sandman (Guildhall School of Music and Drama), La voix humaine (Kypria International Festival, Cyprus), Suor Angelica and L’enfant et les sortilèges (Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama), Les contes d’Hoffmann, The Rake’s Progress, Samson, Aida, Eugene Onegin, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, Die Zauberflöte, Trouble in Tahiti, The Beggar’s Opera, Patience, The Pirates of Penzance, Iolanthe, HMS Pinafore, Merrie England, To the Edge, and Scenes from the Savoy as well as revivals of Carmen (English Touring Opera) and Don Pasquale (European Chamber Opera). Musicals include Hermes and Alice in Wonderland.

Stuart has directed opera scenes for the Royal College of Music, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Birmingham Conservatoire, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and Birkbeck’s Opera Diploma Course. He regularly runs workshops for companies including British Youth Opera, Co-Opera Co and Associated Studios, and coaches singers in acting and audition techniques.