Biography

Hailed by Opéra Magazine as “a discovery…the orchestra is dripping with colors and sensuality” (Lakmé at Opéra National de Montpellier), the American-Irish conductor Robert Tuohy is equally at home in the worlds of operatic and symphonic repertoire. From 2013 to 2022, he was Music Director of Opéra de Limoges, where he conducted productions of Ariadne auf Naxos, Bluebeard's Castle, Carmen, Cendrillon, Così fan tutte, Der Freischütz, Eugene Onegin, Macbeth, Madama Butterfly, Les pêcheurs de perles, and Pelléas et Mélisande. Recent engagements include performances at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées (Candide), the Bolshoi Theatre, l’Opéra de Marseille (Lakmé, Candide, Eugene Onegin), l’Opéra Grand Avignon (L’heure espagnole, L’enfant et les sortilèges), l’Auditorium de l’Opéra National de Bordeaux, the Tchaikovsky Hall (Moscow), l'Orchestra della Fondazione dell'Arena di Verona, l’Orchestre national d’Île-de-France, l’Orchestra del Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, l’Opéra de Toulon (Les pêcheurs de perles, Si j’étais Roi), l’Orchestre Pasdeloup, l’Orchestre Victor Hugo Franche-Comté, and l'Opéra de Reims (Les pêcheurs de perles, Macbeth).

From 2009-2013 he was Assistant Conductor alongside Lawrence Foster at l'Opéra et Orchestre National de Montpellier. Opera performances with the OONM include Die Fledermaus and Rusalka, as well as highly-praised productions of Manon Lescaut and Lakmé. Symphonic work with the OONM has included the 2012 and 2013 New Year's Concerts, a gala performance at the Royal Opera of Versailles, several world and French premiere performances, as well as numerous regional and young persons concerts.

At l'Opéra de Montpellier, Robert served as assistant conductor on productions of Aida, Il barbiere di Siviglia, La bohème, Don Giovanni, Elektra, La fille du régiment, Mefistofele, Le nozze di Figaro, Otello, Rigoletto, Samson et Dalila, Semiramide, and La traviata. He has also worked as assistant conductor forLes Troyens at l'Opéra de Marseille and for René Koering's Die Marquise von O at l'Opéra de Monte-Carlo.

Robert trained at the Cleveland Institute of Music and subsequently the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied with Colin Metters, Sir Colin Davis and George Hurst. He graduated with distinction, won the Ernest Read Conducting Prize, and was awarded the prestigious DipRAM for outstanding final recital. While at the Academy, he conducted performances with all the major RAM ensembles, co-conducted a cycle of Schumann symphonies, and participated in the RAM/South Bank Centre festivals celebrating the music of Peter Maxwell Davies and Luciano Berio.

In 2007, he was chosen by the musicians of the London Symphony Orchestra to conduct the LSO in a masterclass with Sir Colin Davis. In 2008 and 2009, he was invited by Kurt Masur to participate in a series of masterclasses and concerts with the Manhattan School of Music Symphony Orchestra. He has also participated in the Orkney Conducting Course, where he studied with Martyn Brabbins and conducted the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.