Nora Winsler is an opera director active across the United States, working as a director, assistant director, and choreographer. She recently directed a new production of The Barber of Seville at Virginia Opera, which won the 2024 BroadwayWorld Central Virginia Award for Best Production of an Opera. She frequently collaborates with The Dallas Opera, working as Assistant Director and Movement Director for Joachim Schamberger’s production of Orfeo ed Euridice, Associate Director for Tomer Zvulun’s production of La bohème, and Assistant Director on Francesca Zambello’s The Little Prince and Turandot.

This past season, Nora was the Associate Director for Brenna Corner’s Pagliacci at Minnesota Opera, Assistant Director for Loren Meeker’s Madama Butterfly at Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Assistant Director of Brian Staufenbiel’s The Shining at Utah Opera.

Earlier in her career, Winsler spent two consecutive seasons as Resident Assistant Director at Virginia Opera, where she toured seven productions across the state and directed the company's outreach production of Jack and the Beanstalk. She then joined the Atlanta Opera as a Glynn Studio Artist Stage Director during their 2023-24 season, assisting on their mainstage productions and directing Another Sunrise by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer. 

In addition to her directing and assisting credits, Winsler has contributed movement direction, choreography, and intimacy choreography to a range of operatic productions. Outside of opera, she is a contra dancer and budding contra dance caller, and her love for folk traditions often informs her choreography. This was the case in her work as choreographer for Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman at Des Moines Metro Opera, where she was praised by Opera Today for having“ably assisted with well-considered folk inspired choreography.” She has trained as an intimacy choreographer with Theatrical Intimacy Education, and has worked in that capacity at various houses, including San Diego Opera, Opera Parallèle, and DMMO.

Winsler was a Resident Artist with The Glimmerglass Festival, where she assisted on mainstage productions and participated in new work development. She was also selected for Opera America’s Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Prize as part of a creative team led by her dear friend, director Ian Silverman.

Winsler holds a Bachelor of Music degree from James Madison University.