Alessandro Talevi was born in Johannesburg of Anglo-Italian parentage and studied Music and History of Art at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he was awarded the Kirby Medal and Prize in 1998 for the best overall music student.

After obtaining an MMus degree with distinction he furthered his practical studies in piano accompaniment at the Royal Academy of Music, winning a string of important prizes and competitions including the Geoffrey Parsons Award and the Elena Gerhardt Lieder Prize.

As a production assistant on several RAM opera productions while still a student, Talevi made the decision to switch to directing on completion of the RAM diploma.

As a staff director at English Touring Opera and then at English National Opera, he assisted directors including John Copley, James Conway, David Freeman and Jonathan Miller.

In 2005 he co-founded Independent Opera at Sadler’s Wells with William and Judith Bollinger, and with the Bollingers’ generous support, was its artistic director.

Talevi was awarded 3rd prize in the prestigious 2007 European Opera Directing Prize held in Wiesbaden, for his concept of Rusalka with designer Madeleine Boyd.

His productions include La Cenerentola (Malmö Opera), Pelléas et Mélisande, The Sofa/The Departure, Orlando, La Scala di Seta (Independent Opera at Sadler’s Wells), L'assedio di Calais, The Marriage/La Cambiale di Matrimonio, La Colombe/L’occasione fa il ladro (Guildhall School of Music and Drama), La Fedeltà Premiata (Royal Academy of Music), Partenope (Opéra les Azuriales), Gräfin Mariza (Johannesburg), Un Giorno di Regno (Pretoria), La Voix Humaine, Noye’s Fludde, La Princesse Jaune (London Oratory Theatre).

In 2007 he revived Teatro la Fenice’s production of Ariadne auf Naxos in Bolzano and Lucca, and more recently, Peter Grimes for the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. He has also directed opera tableaux for the Royal Academy of Music.