Amanda Smith is a Toronto-based stage director and Founding Artistic Director of FAWN Chamber Creative, with whom she commissions, develops, produces and directs new opera and experimental music performances. Amanda’s love of the creative process has led her to explore the use of devised creation in opera as a way to empower performers and the creative team, leading her to bring elements of these methods into her rehearsal style for all of her productions. Amanda is currently working on a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Studies at York University, studying devised opera creation methods and their impacts on empathy for artists and audiences.

In 2020, Amanda was a Dora Award Nominee for “Outstanding Direction” for FAWN’s new, devised opera-ballet Pandora, which also received a nomination for “Outstanding Production”. Described as a “visionary” by LUDVIG VAN, Amanda has become known for breaking down creative boundaries and appealing to eclectic audiences. 

Amanda’s personal interest in underground electronic music led her to develop an extensive collaborative partnership with modular synth artist ACOTE. Their projects have been performed at the Banff Centre, the Aga Khan Museum, several Haus Musik productions with Tafelmusik, and numerous FAWN projects. Amanda has directed and devised shows for Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Opera 5, Glenn Gould Opera School, Opera Laurier, Opera Lyra Ottawa, the University of Toronto New Music Festival, The Music Gallery, Against the Grain Theatre, Cowtown Opera, the Iranian-Canadian Composers of Toronto and the Stratford Summer Music Festival.