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Irina Brook
Irina Brook
Irina Brook
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Irina Brook is an Anglo-French theatre and opera director known for her work in both classical and contemporary productions.

Personal life

[edit]

Born in Paris to director Peter Brook and actress Natasha Parry, she was educated between England and France before moving to New York to study acting with Stella Adler, making her stage debut in Off-Broadway productions.[1]

Acting

[edit]

Brook worked for several years as an actor appearing in such films as Captive (1986).[2]

Directing Career

[edit]

Brook’s recognition as a theatre director came in London in 1996 with ‘Beast on the Moon’[3] at the Battersea Arts Centre. She directed productions of ‘Mrs Klein’[4] at the Palace Theatre and ‘All’s Well that Ends Well’[5][6] at the Oxford Playhouse before establishing herself in Paris with her French adaptation of ‘Beast on the Moon’, which won five Molière Awards, including Best Director and Best Play.[7]

Her opera career began directing Mozart’s ‘Die Zauberflöte[8]’ for the Nederlandse Reisopera. She has since directed a range of operatic works at major opera houses around the world, including Tchaikovsky’s ‘Yevgeny Onegin’, Rossini’s ‘La Cenerentola’ and Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’. Her work at Teatro La Scala in Milan includes ‘Die Sieben Todsünden’, ‘La Rodine’ and ‘Il Matrimonio Segreto’.

In 2003 she formed Irina’s Dream Theatre Company,[9] through which she toured globally with productions of Brecht’s ‘Der Gute Mensch von Sezuan’,[10] Marivaux’s ‘L’Île des Esclaves’ and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ internationally. Her work at major festivals includes the Salzburg Festival, Barbican Centre, Spoleto Festival, and her production The Island Trilogy, which toured internationally.[11]

From 2014-2021, she was the first female Director of the Théâtre National de Nice,[12] where she produced, curated and directed the theatre’s programme.

Her work in theatre and opera has been recognised with several awards, including the ‘Chevalier and Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres’, the ‘Molière Award’ for Best Director & Best Play and in 2023 the ‘Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres’.

Theatre

[edit]
Beast on the Moon[13] 1996 BAC, London
Mrs Klein[14] 1997 The Palace, Watford
All’s Well that Ends Well[15] 1997 Playhouse, Oxford
Une Bête sur la Lune (Beast on the Moon)[16] 1998 Théâtre de l'Oeuvre, Paris
Resonance[17] 2000 Theâtre de l'Atelier, Paris
Der Gute Mensch von Sezuan 2004 Theatre National de Challiot, Paris
Der Gute Mensch von Sezuan 2005 International Tour
The Canterville Ghosts[18] 2008 Shakespeare & Company, Masscheutas
A Midsummer Night’s Dream[19] 2008 Dedans-Dehors, Brittany & International Tour
Somewhere…la Mancha[20] 2008 Villeneuve-lès-Avignon Festival & International Tour
The Tempest[21] 2012 Salzberg Festival
Peer Gynt[22] 2012 Salzberg Festival
The Island Trilogy (La Trilogie des Îles)[23] 2013 Spoleto Festival
The Island Trilogy (La Trilogie des Îles) 2013 International Tour
The Odyssey 2014 Theatre National, Nice
Peer Gynt 2014 Barbican Theatre, London
Artistic Director 2014 - 2021 Theatre National, Nice
Artist-in-Residence[24] 2021 Teatro Stabile del Veneto, Venice
Artist-in-Residence 2023 Château d’Hardelot’s Elizabethan Globe Theatre

Opera

[edit]
Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)[25][26] 1999 & 2001 Nederlandse Reisopera
Yevgeny Onegin[27] 2002 Festival d’Aix-en-Provence
La Cenerentola[28] 2003 Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris
Yevgeny Onegin[29] 2004 International Tour
La Traviata[30] 2004 Opéra de Lille
La Cenerentola[31][32] 2004 Teatro Comunale di Bologna
Giulio Cesare[33] 2006 Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris
La Traviata 2007 Teatro Comunale di Bologna
Don Pasquale[34] 2017 Vienna State Opera
L’elisir d’amore[35] 2017 Deutsche Opera, Berlin
A Midsummer Night’s Dream[36] 2019 Vienna State Opera
Mahagonny-Songspiel[37] 2021 La Scala, Milan
Die Sieben Todsünden[38] 2021 La Scala, Milan
Il Matrimonio Segreto[39] 2022 La Scala, Milan
La Rondine[40][41] 2024 La Scala, Milan
Carmen[42][43] 2025 Nikikai Opera, Tokyo
Brecht/Weill Triple Brill[44] 2025 La Scala, Milan

Awards

[edit]
Best Director[45] 1998 Molière Award
Best Play[46] 1998 Molière Award
New Talent[citation needed] 1999 Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques
Molière de la révélation théâtrale féminine[47] 2000 Molière Award
Prix Mitrani[citation needed] 2002 International Festival of Audiovisual Programs (FIPA)
Chevalier and Officier[48] 2002 Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Commandeur de l’Ordre[49] 2017 Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Irina Brook

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Irina Brook (born c. 1962) is a French-British and director, actress, and former renowned for her innovative, immersive productions that blend classical texts with contemporary themes. As the daughter of legendary director and actress , she grew up immersed in the world, transitioning from to directing in the 1990s and establishing herself on major European stages. Her work often explores personal and familial legacies, as seen in autobiographical pieces like House of Us (2021–2022), while her direction includes acclaimed revivals at venues such as the and the . Born in and raised between and , Brook was exposed to theatre from childhood, including appearing in her father's production of and growing up around the sets of . At age 18, she moved to New York to train in acting under , though she later described the experience as intense and not entirely to her liking. After a decade as an actress in , , and shows, as well as film and television roles, she shifted to directing, debuting successfully with Beast on the Moon in in 1996; her French adaptation Une Bête sur la Lune earned her multiple Awards. Brook's directing career spans Shakespearean adaptations, modern plays, and operas, with her company Irina's Dream Theatre touring productions like a 500-performance run of . She served as of the Théâtre National de from 2014 to 2019, where she championed ecological initiatives alongside her stagings. Notable opera works include Die Zauberflöte at the Opéra National de (2005) and at Teatro Comunale di (2007), praised for their visual dynamism and emotional depth. Recent projects, such as Seagull Dreams (2023), Lear? (2024), at (2024), the Brecht-Weill Triptych at (2025), and at Tokyo Nikikai (2025), continue to reflect her evolution, incorporating multimedia and personal narratives. In 2023, she was named a Commandeur in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for her contributions to .

Early Life and Education

Family Background

Irina Brook was born in in 1962 to and . The eldest child in a prominent artistic household, she experienced family dynamics deeply intertwined with her parents' international careers, which exposed her to from infancy and often involved accompanying them on global tours and exploratory journeys, such as those to , , and America in the early 1970s. She has a younger brother, Simon Brook. Her childhood was marked by frequent moves between —where her father established the Bouffes du Nord theatre—and , as well as other locations tied to her family's professional commitments, cultivating a strong bilingual Anglo-French identity and an innate connection to multicultural artistic environments.

Acting Training and Early Influences

Irina Brook, born in in 1962 to theatre director and actress , spent her early childhood in before being sent to for schooling. She attended the progressive in , where she completed her A-levels, immersing herself in an environment that encouraged artistic exploration. This period marked her initial exposure to British educational influences, contrasting with her family's nomadic theatre life, and fueled her passion for performance. At age 18 in 1980, Brook moved to New York to pursue formal acting training at the Conservatory, drawn by the city's vibrant theatre scene. Although she found the experience challenging due to the instructor's intensity and her own apprehensions, it provided foundational techniques in character development and emotional depth. During this time, she became part of the experimental theatre milieu, attending performances and engaging with artists, which broadened her understanding of innovative staging. Her family's artistic legacy, including observing her parents' rehearsals from a young age and being on the set of her father's 1970 production of as a , served as a profound motivational factor, shifting her focus from mere performance to the intricacies of creative processes behind the scenes. In the early 1980s, Brook debuted as an actress in productions, honing her craft through small roles that exposed her to diverse ensemble dynamics and improvisational techniques. She also appeared as Anya in her father's 1981 production of at the Bouffes du Nord, opposite her mother as Ranevskaya. These experiences were complemented by her personal connection to musician , with whom she lived briefly after relocating to New York; their relationship immersed her further in the city's countercultural undercurrents, influencing her appreciation for raw, boundary-pushing expression in performance. Mentorship from emphasized imaginative truth over rote memorization, while familial observations of Peter Brook's directorial methods and Natasha Parry's interpretive nuances gradually oriented her toward a more observational role in theatre, foreshadowing her evolving artistic perspective.

Career Development

Transition to Directing

After a decade of in , film, and television during the and early 1990s, Irina Brook transitioned to directing in the mid-1990s, drawing on her foundational experiences in performance to inform her approach to staging narratives. Her background, which included roles in productions alongside her parents and independent works in New York and , provided insights into character dynamics and ensemble collaboration that she later applied behind the scenes. This shift allowed her to explore from a creative perspective, moving away from the vulnerabilities of on-stage exposure that had begun to feel limiting. Brook's directorial debut came in 1996 with Richard Kalinoski's Beast on the Moon at 's Battersea Arts Centre, a production that marked her emergence as a director and garnered critical attention for its intimate portrayal of Armenian immigrants navigating trauma and resilience. This premiere was followed by a transfer to , where it achieved commercial success and won five Awards, including Best Director for Brook, solidifying her freelance career in . The work represented an initial foray into independent staging, free from institutional constraints, and highlighted her ability to blend emotional depth with minimalist design. The transition was not without challenges, particularly in navigating the shadow of her father, , whose legendary status in theatre often framed her early efforts. In interviews, Brook has recounted the pressure of familial inheritance, describing it as both a "great gift" and a source of rootlessness that compelled her to forge an original voice through experimentation with ensemble-driven pieces. She balanced this by focusing on contemporary and classical texts that emphasized human fragility, such as her subsequent Paris staging of Tennessee Williams's in 2001 at Théâtre de l'Atelier, which further established her as a director attuned to psychological nuance. By the late , Brook had transitioned fully to freelance directing across Europe, collaborating with theatres in , , and beyond to build a repertoire distinct from her lineage.

Artistic Leadership Roles

In 2003, Irina Brook founded her own theatre company, Irina's Dream Theatre, based in Paris, through which she produced and toured international works including adaptations of Brecht's The Good Person of Szechwan and Marivaux's L'Île des Esclaves. Brook's most prominent institutional leadership came with her appointment as the first female artistic director of the Théâtre National de Nice (TNN) in January 2014, succeeding Daniel Benoin after his 12-year tenure. She served in this role until June 2019, overseeing the programming and operations of one of France's 38 national dramatic centers. During her tenure, Brook emphasized accessibility and innovation, launching youth outreach programs that dispatched resident actors and coaches to underprivileged neighborhoods such as Les Moulins and Ariane to foster theatre as a tool for social unity. She also established ShakeNice, France's inaugural Shakespeare festival in Nice, which featured diverse global interpretations of plays like Macbeth and Twelfth Night to broaden cultural engagement. Additionally, Brook advanced diversity in programming by prioritizing female artists through initiatives like Le Printemps des Femmes and incorporating multilingual productions to connect with Nice's international community. Following her departure from TNN, Brook took on guest and residency positions that allowed her to influence theatre ecosystems across . In April 2021, she was appointed at Teatro Stabile del in , collaborating with Giorgio on youth-focused projects, including her interdisciplinary installation The House of Us, which addressed themes of isolation through partnerships with local students and global young artists. In 2023, she became at Château d'Hardelot's Elizabethan in northern as part of a three-year artistic partnership centered on Shakespeare, where she developed workshops and productions like Seagull Dreams and Lear?, integrating emerging talents and environmental themes into classical repertory. These roles underscored her ongoing commitment to cross-cultural networks and mentorship in and French theatre institutions up to 2025.

Theatre Productions

Key Stage Works

Irina Brook's early directing career in the late marked her transition from acting to helm innovative interpretations of classic texts, beginning with Beast on the Moon in 1996 at Battersea Arts Centre in , a poignant about that showcased her ability to blend emotional depth with minimalist staging. This breakthrough was followed by in 1997 in and Mrs Klein in 1996, both demonstrating her emerging style of intimate, character-driven explorations of complex psyches. By the early 2000s, Brook had established herself in with Une Bête sur la Lune, her French adaptation of Beast on the Moon, which premiered in 1998 and earned five Awards, including for Best Director and Best Play, praised for its raw emotional intensity and cultural resonance. In the mid-2000s, Brook's productions emphasized Brechtian and classical repertoires with a focus on physicality and ensemble dynamics. Her 2004 staging of Bertolt Brecht's at Théâtre de Vidy in , later touring to and Théâtre de l'Atelier in , featured multicultural casting to highlight themes of and exploitation in a global context, receiving acclaim for its rhythmic movement and stark visual poetry. She followed with Marivaux's The Island of Slaves in the same circuit, employing site-specific elements in rehearsal spaces to underscore power reversals, and Shakespeare's (Juliette et Romeo) in and , noted for its passionate, youthful energy and innovative use of dance to convey forbidden love. Her adaptation of (En Attendant le Songe), which ran for over 500 performances and toured internationally from 2008, incorporated dreamlike, multicultural ensembles and acrobatic staging, earning praise for revitalizing the comedy's magical whimsy while addressing contemporary identity themes. A pivotal mid-career highlight came in 2014 with her rock-infused adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's at the Théâtre National de Nice (TNN), where she served as artistic director, transforming the protagonist into a boisterous rock star with songs by and poems by ; the production toured to the , , and London's Barbican Theatre, where critics lauded its energetic spectacle and fresh take on themes of self-delusion, though some noted it occasionally skimmed deeper philosophical layers. This Ibsen work exemplified Brook's signature approach of fusing and multicultural performers to modernize classics, often in large-scale venues that amplified the epic scope. Other Ibsen adaptations during this period, including elements of The Island Trilogy, further explored existential wanderings through international touring ensembles. Brook's recent productions up to 2024 have delved into autobiographical and experimental territory while revisiting Shakespearean tragedy. The House of Us (2020–2022), an interdisciplinary installation premiered at Teatro Biondo in Palermo and later at Venice's Goldoni Theatre and Tre Oci Museum, drew from her family legacy—including influences from parents Peter Brook and Natasha Parry—to explore identity and inheritance through immersive, site-specific rooms blending text, dance, and personal artifacts; it was critically hailed as a bold, introspective evolution in her oeuvre, rethinking theatrical boundaries at age 60. In 2023, her adaptation Seagull Dreams at Palermo's Teatro Biondo wove Chekhov's The Seagull with biographical visions of artistic lineage, using multicultural casting and fragmented staging to probe themes of aspiration and loss, with touring productions in Italy through 2024 receiving praise for its poignant, innovative intimacy. Culminating this phase, LEAR? (a work-in-progress evolving to full production in 2024) premiered on May 11 at Château d'Hardelot's Elizabethan Globe Theatre in Boulogne-sur-Mer, offering a contemporary prism on Shakespeare's King Lear through ensemble-driven physicality and site-specific outdoor elements; critics celebrated its magical reconfiguration of madness and redemption, emphasizing Brook's daring, prism-like lens on familial disintegration with a diverse cast. These works, often developed under her leadership at TNN, underscore her commitment to collaborative, boundary-pushing theatre that integrates personal narrative with classical foundations.

Collaborative and Innovative Projects

Irina Brook has pioneered initiatives that blend elements with ensemble-driven creation, often drawing on diverse artists to explore personal and societal narratives. Her project House of Us (2021), an autobiographical work premiered in , , integrates installations, photographs, video, music, and live performance to delve into themes of memory, identity, and family legacy. Co-directed with Dan Jemmett, it features collaborations with 24 drama students rehearsing Chekhov scenes, veteran actor Geoffrey Carey performing on love and loss, and archival recordings of Brook's mother, , reciting Shakespearean sonnets, creating an immersive, meta-theatrical experience where audiences navigate themed rooms in an 18th-century palazzo. Building on this, Brook's My Mother, My Shadow (2022) extends her innovative approach into hybrid formats, presenting an immersive and one-off event at Electro Studios Project Space in , UK. This visual and performative diary honors her mother Parry's life, loneliness, and passion for through a multi-dimensional installation that merges meta-theatrical elements with personal artifacts, emphasizing themes of identity, , and familial bonds. The project involved with Geoffrey Carey and was later adapted for Venice's Casa dei Tre Oci by Teatro Goldoni, showcasing Brook's boundary-pushing fusion of and . In 2023, Brook's Seagull Dreams, a deconstructed adaptation of Chekhov's The Seagull, embodied her commitment to ensemble-devised pieces with diverse artists, premiering at Teatro Biondo in Palermo. This production combines live theatre with video projections to address recovery from personal and artistic crises, youth isolation, migration, and identity, reflecting Brook's post-2019 reinvention after leaving the Théâtre National de Nice. It features a mixed ensemble of young actors from Palermo's drama school, alongside seasoned performers like Pamela Villoresi as Arkadina and Geoffrey Carey as Sorin, fostering mentorship and innovative storytelling as part of a trilogy that includes House of Us. These projects highlight Brook's emphasis on collaborative experimentation, often incorporating digital and immersive techniques in response to post-2020 challenges, while centering themes of migration and family distinct from traditional revivals. Her work builds on an international ethos, evident in ensembles drawn from Sicilian and broader European talents, echoing yet modernizing her father's global legacy through intimate, devised explorations.

Opera Productions

Major Opera Directing Credits

Irina Brook's opera directing career began with a successful debut production of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte at the Nederlandse Reisopera, where her fresh, theatrical approach highlighted the work's whimsical elements through dynamic staging. This early success led to invitations at major European venues, establishing her reputation for blending physical theatre techniques—drawn briefly from her stage background—with operatic narrative to create accessible, visually engaging interpretations. Among her notable early credits, Brook directed Verdi's at the Opéra de Lille and Teatro Comunale di Bologna, emphasizing through intimate blocking that integrated singers' movements seamlessly with the score. She followed with Rossini's at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and Teatro Comunale di Bologna, infusing the production with playful physicality to underscore the opera's comedic , earning acclaim for its lively work. Handel's at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées showcased her ability to handle complexity, using stylized gestures to heighten dramatic tension while respecting vocal demands. In the , Brook's productions gained prominence at leading houses. In 2014, she directed Donizetti's at the Deutsche Oper, transforming the rural comedy into a vibrant, modern village festival where enhanced the vocal interplay, making the elixir's absurdity palpably joyful. Tchaikovsky's Yevgeny Onegin at the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence (2002) exemplified her interpretive style, employing subtle physical theatre to convey emotional isolation, blending introspective gestures with the opera's lyrical demands under conductor . Brook's work in the 2020s has included innovative takes on both classical and 20th-century repertory. At the Wiener Staatsoper, her 2019 production of Britten's integrated dreamlike physical sequences to mirror the opera's fantastical world, with singers navigating ethereal sets that complemented the score's atmospheric orchestration. In 2021, she helmed a double bill of Kurt Weill's Die Sieben Todsünden and Mahagonny-Songspiel at Teatro alla Scala, conducted by , where her eco-conscious staging—using recycled materials—wove physical ensemble work with Brechtian alienation to critique societal collapse, though coordinating the singers' stylized movements with the pit proved demanding amid the production's abstract . In 2022, she directed Cimarosa's at Teatro alla Scala as part of the Accademia project, praised for its witty and fresh take on the comedy. Puccini's followed in 2024 at , featuring elegant physical transitions that evoked 1920s glamour while highlighting vocal nuances. Brook made her Japanese debut with Bizet's Carmen at the Nikikai Opera in 2025, fusing physical and cultural motifs to reinterpret the gypsy for new audiences. Her return to the Wiener Staatsoper with Donizetti's in 2024 revisited her 2015 production, refining the comedic physicality to better align singer movements with conductor Frédéric Chaslin's rhythm, demonstrating her evolving approach to balancing operatic challenges. Throughout, Brook's opera work underscores her commitment to productions that prioritize narrative clarity and performer agency, often navigating the intricacies of collaboration with conductors and singers to ensure vocal integrity amid innovative staging.

Cross-Genre Adaptations

Irina Brook has distinguished herself in hybrid opera-theatre pieces that fuse musical and dramatic elements to explore complex narratives. One notable example is her direction of and Bertolt Brecht's works, which inherently blend operatic singing with theatrical and cabaret-style . In , she staged Mahagonny-Songspiel and Die Sieben Todsünden at Teatro alla Scala in , creating an eco-conscious production that emphasized sustainable practices while highlighting the socio-political satire of the originals. This approach culminated in her 2025 production of The Weill Triptych at , an innovative fusion of Die Sieben Todsünden, Mahagonny-Songspiel, and Happy End, musically directed by . Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the triptych stitches together Brecht's fragmented texts to confront themes of and human resilience, using recycled materials and a dynamic staging that merges operatic arias with spoken dialogue and ensemble movement. The work's hybrid form underscores Brook's commitment to narrative innovation, transforming episodic into a cohesive operatic commentary on contemporary crises. Brook's cross-genre adaptations extend to multimedia-infused works that incorporate musical elements into dramatic frameworks. Her 2014 production of Henrik Ibsen's at Théâtre National de Nice reimagined the protagonist as a rock star in existential turmoil, blending live music, projections, and physical theatre to push boundaries between and . This experimental staging, later presented at the in , exemplifies her fusion of theatrical narrative with influences, echoing operatic traditions while addressing themes of identity and illusion. In adapting Shakespeare for the operatic stage, Brook directed Benjamin Britten's at the in 2019, infusing the fairy-tale comedy with dreamlike visuals and ensemble interplay that bridged Shakespearean verse with Britten's score. The production featured intricate by Noëlle Ginefri-Corbel, emphasizing magical transformations and human folly through a blend of operatic lyricism and theatrical whimsy. Conducted by , it highlighted Brook's ability to honor literary sources while innovating across genres. Brook's hybrids often occur in non-traditional contexts, such as her eco-focused stagings that challenge conventional opera venues by prioritizing environmental integration. While drawing from her pure opera experience, these works emphasize boundary-crossing, like the 2021 La Scala Brecht/Weill double bill filmed during the pandemic for a hybrid live-streamed format. A hallmark of Brook's approach is her use of diverse, multinational casts to amplify social themes in operatic settings. In productions like the Weill Triptych, she assembles performers from varied backgrounds to embody marginalized voices, addressing issues of inequality and ecological urgency through inclusive storytelling. This practice, evident in her collaborations with international ensembles, fosters narrative depth and cultural resonance, making abstract social critiques palpable on stage.

Awards and Recognition

Theatre and Directing Honors

Irina Brook received her first major recognition in French theatre with the 2000 Molière Award for Best Female Newcomer for her direction of Résonnances by Burger at the Théâtre de l'Atelier in , marking her emergence as a promising talent in contemporary staging. This award highlighted her innovative approach to adapting American plays for French audiences, blending emotional depth with ensemble dynamics. The following year, Brook's French adaptation and direction of Richard Kalinoski's Beast on the Moon (Une Bête sur la Lune) at the Théâtre de l'Œuvre garnered five Awards in , including Best Director, Best Play, Best Actor for , Best Actress for Corinne Jaber, and Best —a historic sweep for a non-French creative team. The production's success underscored Brook's skill in directing intimate, culturally resonant narratives about Armenian immigrants, earning praise for its poignant ensemble work and cross-cultural sensitivity. In addition to the Molières, Brook was honored with the SACD Prize for Emerging Talent in 2000 by the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques, recognizing her contributions to new theatrical voices during her early directing career. These accolades established Brook's reputation for innovative directing, particularly in ensemble-driven productions that bridge classical and modern repertoires.

Institutional and Cultural Accolades

Irina Brook has received several prestigious French cultural honors recognizing her lifetime contributions to theatre and opera. In 2002, she was appointed Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture for her innovative directorial work. This was followed by her promotion to Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2016, acknowledging her leadership in international productions and her role as the first female director of the (TNN). In 2023, she was elevated to Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, the highest rank in this order, for her enduring impact on French cultural arts as a director and actress. Brook's institutional leadership has also been honored through her tenure at the TNN from 2014 to 2019, where she curated programs emphasizing global theatre diversity and multicultural collaborations, earning national recognition for advancing artistic innovation in public institutions. In 2016, she was named Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, France's highest civilian distinction, celebrating her broader contributions to and theatre accessibility across and beyond. Additionally, in 2013, Brook received the Air France Prize for innovation and the promotion of French culture overseas, highlighting her efforts in bridging international theatre traditions through boundary-pushing productions. These accolades underscore her role in fostering diverse artistic dialogues, particularly during her TNN directorship, where she integrated global perspectives to enrich French theatre.

References

  1. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/22/theater/irina-brook-house-of-us.html
  2. https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/irina-brook-0
  3. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/sep/28/irina-brook-the-house-of-us
  4. https://mtpmemap.be/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/LEAR-UK-DNW-Cie-Irina-Brook_Version-mai-2024.pdf
  5. https://www.teatroallascala.org/en/season/2023-2024/opera/la-rondine.html
  6. https://www.maestroarts.com/news/irina-brook-makes-la-scala-debut
  7. https://nikikai.jp/en/lineup/carmen2025/
  8. https://alchetron.com/Irina-Brook
  9. https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-people-named-irina/reference
  10. https://www.thetimes.com/article/how-irina-brook-turned-ibsen-s-peer-gynt-into-a-rock-n-roll-star-vtdpc9l6rz8
  11. https://www.myheritage.com/names/irina_brook
  12. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0111628/bio/
  13. https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/peter-brook-isn-t-an-easy-act-to-follow-but-his-daughter-irina-is-doing-an-impressive-job-767862.html
  14. https://lesarchivesduspectacle.net/s/13976-La-Menagerie-de-verre
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  16. https://shakespeareargentina.org/en/fsa-with-irina-brook/
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  18. https://www.operabase.com/irina-brook-a7406/en
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  20. https://riviera-buzz.com/features/arts-culture/tnn-curtain-call-irina-brook.html
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  27. https://viennaoperareview.com/donizettis-don-pasquale/
  28. https://bachtrack.com/review-berlin-elisir-apr-2014
  29. https://www.operabase.com/productions/yevgeny-onegin-17491/mt
  30. https://www.maestroarts.com/news/irina-brook-makes-case-for-eco-friendly-opera
  31. https://bachtrack.com/review-matrimonio-segreto-cimarosa-spagnoli-dantone-accademia-teatro-scala-milan-september-2022
  32. https://www.maestroarts.com/news/irina-brook-directs-a-new-production-of-don-pasquale-at-the-wiener-staatsoper
  33. https://operawire.com/teatro-alla-scala-2024-25-review-the-weill-triptych/
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  38. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIvHgM-kCZk
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  42. https://www.kwf.org/news/e-news-may-2025/
  43. https://riviera-buzz.com/features/news/irina-brook-what-a-difference-a-year-makes.html
  44. https://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/21/theater/theater-the-tony-awards-and-the-moliere-for-best-actor-goes-to.html
  45. https://hyetert.org/2001/05/10/beast-on-the-moon-reaps-five-molieres/
  46. http://parisvoice.com/voicearchives/01/sept/html/theater.html
  47. https://www.maestroarts.com/news/irina-brook-is-honoured-with-the-legion-dhonneur
  48. https://www.culture.gouv.fr/nous-connaitre/organisation-du-ministere/conseil-de-l-ordre-des-arts-et-des-lettres/arretes-de-nominations-dans-l-ordre-des-arts-et-des-lettres/nomination-dans-l-ordre-des-arts-et-des-lettres-hiver-2023
  49. https://pragueshakespeare.com/sta2019.html
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