Photograph from Aladdin - lighting design by Mark Jonathan
Aladdin's journey through a tunnel of swirling light | Photographer: Bill Cooper | From the show Aladdin
Photograph from Ariadne Auf Naxos - lighting design by Mark Jonathan
Storm - The Moon Eclipses | Photographer: Mark Jonathan | From the show Ariadne Auf Naxos
Photograph from Uncle Vanya - lighting design by Mark Jonathan
Uncle Vanya | Photographer: Robert Day | From the show Uncle Vanya
Photograph from Semele - lighting design by Mark Jonathan
Photographer: Johann Persson | From the show Semele
Photograph from Il Barbiere di Siviglia - lighting design by Mark Jonathan
Il Barbiere di Siviglia- Scottish Opera | From the show Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Mark Jonathan's picture

Mark Jonathan

Biography Credits Portfolio Press Quotes Specialisms Availability Contact Details News

Biography

Freelance lighting designer of drama, musicals, opera, ballet, dance, ice in Britain and Worldwide:                Website: www.markjonathan.com

Winner of the 2019 Knight of Illumination Opera Award for 'Vanessa' at Glyndebourne.  Finalist in 2013 World Stage Design. Nominated for Knight of Illumination (Theatre/Opera- WNO Lulu 2013); 2007 Drama Desk Nomination for Most outstanding Lighting Design for Prometheus Bound (Classic Stage, New York). In 2014 he was awarded a  Fellowship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for services to theatre. 

1993-2003: Head of Lighting at the National Theatre. 1978-1992: Glyndebourne Opera lighting department.

Languages English (MT), French (Fluent), German, Italian (Working knowledge)

Drama/Musicals

The Fellowship (Hampstead Theatre); Private Lives (Bath Theatre Royal / National Tour) Sweeney Todd; (Liverpool Everyman), Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (National Tour); Blithe Spirit, (London West End, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Toronto); Playmas (Richmond Orange Tree); Our Country's Good, (Nottingham Playhouse and touring); The Revenger's Tragedy, The Duchess of Malfi, Arcadia, Time and the Conways, Richard lll, (Nottingham Playhouse); Edward ll, Dr Faustus, Pygmalion, The Miser (Royal Exchange, Manchester). Rudy's Rare Records (Hackney Empire), Maurice's Jubilee (Edinburgh Festival and UK tour),  A British Subject (Edinburgh Festival/ New York, London West End). My Mother Said I Never Should, Mrs Reynolds and the Ruffian, Cinderella, Aladdin (Palace Theatre, Watford). Othello (RSC/ tour).The Miser, Babylone (Belgrade Coventry). Collaboration, Taking Sides (Chichester Festival and Westend); Nicholas Nickleby, (Chichester Festival, National Tour, West End and Toronto) Office Suite, Hobson's Choice (Chichester Festival and touring) Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, The Lady's not for Burning, Babes in Arms (Chichester Festival); Denis the Menace (South Bank); Rudy's Rare Records, Uncle Vanya, The Life of Galileo, Wizard of Oz, The Witches, The Norman Conquests, Neville's Island, The Crucible, Jumpers (Birmingham Rep); Monkey, Wizard of OZ (West Yorkshire); Shadowmouth, The Clean House (Crucible Studio, Sheffield); Tejas Verdes (The Gate); Free Outgoing, Clubland, Breathing Corpses, In the Blood, Class Enemy, (Royal Court). Paradise Lost (Headlong); Hamlet (Royal Theatre,Northampton); Prometheus Bound (Sound, London, & Classic Stage, New York); Marlene, (UK Tours, Ireland, West End, Paris and Broadway);

London/ West End: Private Lives (Ambassadors); Blithe Spirit, (Gielgud); Nicholas Nickleby (Gielgud); The Witches (Wyndhams); Skylight (NT Cottesloe, Wyndhams/Vaudeville/touring); The Adventures of the Stoneheads (NT Lyttelton); Titus Andronicus (NT Cottesloe/WYP) Peggy Sue got Married (Shaftesbury,); Sweet Charity (Victoria Palace); Honk! (NT Olivier); The Waiting Room (NT Cottesloe); Collaboration, Taking Sides (Duchess); Marlene (Lyric);

Earlier in career many productions for the NYT, Shaw Theatre, Soho Poly, Stratford East.

Dance/Ballet 

The Tales of Beatrix Potter, The Sleeping Beauty, Sylvia, La Sylphide, Napoli Divertissements, Cinderella (The Royal Ballet, ROH/BBC); Aladdin, Cyrano, Sylvia, Beauty & the Beast, Protecting Veil, The Seasons, Far from the Madding Crowd, Powder, Dante Sonata, Enigma Variations, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, The Two Pigeons, Scenes de Ballet, The Prospect before Us, (Birmingham Royal Ballet); Casse Noisette (Ballet Capitole de Toulouse); The Nutcracker (Northern Ballet); The Two Pigeons (Scottish Ballet); Cinderella, (Finnish National Ballet); Aladdin, Sylvia (National Ballet of Japan); Aladdin (Houston Ballet); Landschaft und Erinnerung, Exilium (Stuttgart) Sylvia (American Ballet Theatre, the Met, St Petersburg, Buenos Aires, StaatsBallett Berlin) Anne of Green Gables, Ballet Shoes, Little Lord Fauntleroy, Snow White, Nanny McPhee, The Secret Garden, Jane Eyre, A Little Princess (London Children's Ballet); Up from the Waste (Antonia Franchesci); Ashton Festival at the Met:- Cinderella (Royal Ballet) Enigma Variations, Dante Sonata, Two Pigeons (BRB), Cinderella on Ice, Sleeping Beauty on Ice (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Imperial Ice stars)

Opera 

2023: L'elisir d'amore (Longborough Festival Opera); Il barbiere di Siviglia (Scottish Opera); Ruddigpre (Opera Holland Park/ Charles Court Opera);

2022:Don Giovanni (Scottish Opera) director Sir Thomas Allen,

2021: Giulio Cesare (Theatre an der Wien) director Keith Warner 2019: Dead Man Walking, The Prisoner, The Consul, Fidelio act 2, (Welsh National Opera)  Iolante, Il Segreto di Susanna (Opera Holland Park), Magic Flute (Scottish Opera) A Midsummer's Night Dream (Guildhall School). 2018: Madama Butterfly, Vanessa (Glyndebourne), Die Zauberflöte, (Garsington), Idomeneo, Alzira, La Fille du Regiment (Buxton Festival)     I Puritani (Lyceu, Barcelona). In 2017:  Zàza (Opera Holland Park); Semele, Le Nozze di Figaro, Il Turco in Italia (Garsington); Jenufa (Royal Swedish Opera);The Tale of Januarie (Guildhall); Dead Man Walking (Royal Danish Opera);   2016: The Rape of Lucretia, (GSMD); Pelléas et Melisande (Royal Swedish Opera); The Mikado,  (Scottish Opera); Madama Butterfly (Glyndebourne); I Puritani, Askepot (Danish National Opera)Previously:   Lulu, Pelléas et Melisande (Dir David Pountney, Des Johan Engels, Costume Marie-Jeanne Lecca) I Puritani (Director Annilese Miskimmon, Des Leslie Travers) at Welsh National Opera. Don Quichotte, Jenufa (Dir Annilese Miskimmon, Des Nicky Shaw) at Danish National Opera. L'amour dei tre re, Barbiere di Siviglia, The Turn of the Screw, Pecheurs de Perles, Cavaleria Rusticana, Pagliacci,  L'amico Fritz, Don Pasquale, La Forza del Destino, Francesca da Rimini  at Opera Holland Park. Owen Wingrave (GSMD/ Banff Festival) The Rape of Lucretia, Cherubin (GSMD). Gianni Schicchi (Teatro Real, Madrid and Spoletto Festival- dir Woody Allen). Il Trittico: Il Tabarro, Suor Angelica- (director William Friedkin) Gianni Schicchi (Director Woody Allen)  (Los Angeles Opera)   Der Freischutz (Finnish National Opera). Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro (Director Sir Thomas Allen, des Simon Higlett- Scottish Opera); Jenufa, (Director Annilese Miskimmon, Des Nicky Shaw Scottish Opera and Danish National Opera) La Traviata (Dir Annilese Miskimmon, Des Nicky Shaw) Orfeo ed Euridice (Dir/ Chor Ashley Page, Des Johan Engels) Scottish Opera; Salome, Das Gehege (Bayerischer Staats Oper, Munich- Director William Friedkin, Stage Designer Hans Schavernoch); Duke Bluebeard's Castle, Gianni Schicci (Washington National Opera- Director William Friedkin); Hansel and Gretel, (dir: Doug Fitch), Ariadne auf Naxos (Dir: William Friedkin), Don Pasquale, Falstaff, (Dir: Stephen Lawless), Peter Grimes (Dir: John Schlesinger) for Los Angeles Opera; Samson et Deliah (Dir: William Friedkin), Carmen, (dir: Stephen Lawless) (Israeli Opera, Tel Aviv); Venus & Adonis, Dido and Aenaes (Dir Stephen Lawless), (Vlaamse Opera, Antwerp/Ghent); Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (Strasbourg & Caen); La Finta Semplice (Potsdam Sansoucci); Cosi Fan Tutte, Rigoletto, Betley, Il Pagliacci, Gianni Schicci, Cavaleria Rusticana, Barber of Seville (Holland Park, London) Cosi Fan Tutte, Idomeneo, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, The Rake's Progress, Albert Herring (Glyndbourne Touring opera). Exibited work at World stage Design 2013, Collaborators, Time & Space, 2D3D, Prague Quadrennial (99) British Entry, World Stage Design 2005, 2013.

Other: Deputy Chair /Director of the ALPD formally ALD, formally professionals Rep, Member of British Equity and United Scenic Artists.

He has Lectured for: Rose Bruford, (BA lighting and BA Stage Design), RADA,  Wimbledon UAL (MA designers), LIPACentral School of Speech and Drama, (Post Grad Lighting), LAMDA, The National Theatre Studio Directors' Course, for the NT Studio residencies in London, South Africa, Belfast and Edinburgh Festival and NT Education and the NYT. Chaired Platforms with Richard Pilbrow (NT Lyttelton), David Hersey (NT Oliver) Nichola McAulliffe (NT Cottesloe), The annual Lighting Christmas Lunch since 2003, Presenter for the KOI 2014 and 2015 and various events for the ALD, PLASA, ABTT, The Linbury Prize, the National Theatre, the SBTD and the V&A. Published articles in FOCUS, the Stage, contributor to 'The Right Light' (Nick Moran); Foreword to Nigel Morgan's book 'Lighting for Designers'. Presented the ABTT Fellowship to Francis Reid, Richard Pilbrow and Jason Barnes.  Website: www.markjonathan.com

Previous productions

Current credits

Show name Type Venue/Company Role Creative team Closes
Ariadne Auf Naxos Opera The Dorothy Chandler Pavillion
Los Angeles Opera
Lighting Designer Director: William Freidkin
Set designer: Edwin Chan
06 Feb 2100
The Nutcracker Dance Palace Theatre, Manchester, then touring
Northern Ballet Theatre
Lighting Designer Choreographer: David Nixon
Set designer: Charles Cusick-Smith
07 Feb 2100
Hobson's Choice Theatre Chichester/Touring, then touring
Chichester Festival Theatre
Lighting Designer Director: Jonathan Church
Set designer: Simon Higlett
09 Feb 2100
Il Barbiere di Siviglia Opera Theatre Royal, Glasgow and Touring, then touring
scottish opera
Lighting Designer Director: Sir Thomas Allen
Set designer: Simon Higlett
10 Feb 2100
Nicholas Nickleby Theatre Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Ave
Chichester Festival Theatre
Lighting Designer Director: Jonathan Church/ Phillip Franks
Set designer: Simon Higlett
11 Feb 2100

In repertoire

Show name Type Venue/Company Role Creative team
Idomeneo Opera Buxton Opera House
Buxton Festival Opera
Lighting Designer Director: Stephen Medcalf
Set designer: Isabella Bywater
Alzira Opera Buxton Opera House
Buxton Festival
Lighting Designer Director: Elijah Moshinsky
Set designer: Russell Craig
Die Zauberflöte Opera Garsington Opera Lighting Designer Director: Netia Jones
Set designer: Netia Jones
Vanessa Opera Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne
Lighting Designer Director: Keith Warner
Set designer: Ashley Martin-Davis
Zazà Opera Holland Park, London
Opera Holland Park
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathnan
Director: Marie Lambert
Set designer: Alyson Cummins
Il Turco in Italia Opera Worsley
Garsington Opera
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Director: Martin Duncan
Set designer: Francis O'Connor
Il Turco in Italia Opera Worsley
Garsington Opera
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Director: Martin Duncan
Set designer: Francis O'Connor
Le nozze di Figaro Opera Worsley
Garsingon Opera
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Director: John Cox
Set designer: Robert Perdziola
Semele Opera Worsley
Garsington Opera
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Director: Annilese Miskimmon
Set designer: Nicky Shaw
Dead Man Walking Opera Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen
Royal Danish Opera
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Director: Orpha Phelan
Set designer: Nicky Shaw

Previous productions

Show name Type Venue/Company Role Creative Team Opened
The Fellowship Theatre Hampstead Theatre
Hampstead Theatre
Lighting Designer Director: Paulette Randall
Set designer: Libby Watson
Jun 2022
Anne of Green Gables Dance The Peacock Theatre, London
London Childrens Ballet
Lighting Designer Choreographer: Jenna Lee
May 2022
Don Giovanni Opera Glasgow Theatre Royal, then touring
scottish opera
Lighting Designer Director: Sir Thomas Allen
Set designer: Simon Higlett
May 2022
The Magic Flute Opera Glasgow Theatre Royal, then touring
scottish opera
Lighting Designer Director: Sir Thomas Allen
Set designer: Simon Higlett
May 2019
Sweeney Todd Theatre Liverpool Everyman
Everyman & Playhouse
Lighting Designer Director: Nick Bagnall
Set designer: Michael Vale
Apr 2019
Vanessa Opera Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne
Lighting Designer Director: Keith Warner
Set designer: Ashley Martin-Davis
Aug 2018
Idomeneo Opera Buxton Opera House
Buxton Festival Opera
Lighting Designer Director: Stephen Medcalf
Set designer: Isabella Bywater
Jul 2018
Alzira Opera Buxton Opera House
Buxton Festival
Lighting Designer Director: Elijah Moshinsky
Set designer: Russell Craig
Jul 2018
Die Zauberflöte Opera Garsington Opera Lighting Designer Director: Netia Jones
Set designer: Netia Jones
May 2018
Madama Butterfly Opera Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne
Lighting Designer Director: Annilese Miskimmon
Set designer: Nicky Shaw
May 2018
Our Country's Good Theatre Nottingham Playhouse, then touring
Nottingham Playhouse & Ramps on the Moon
Lighting Designer Director: Fiona Buffini
Set designer: Neil Murray
Mar 2018
Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde Theatre The Rose Theatre, Kingston and Touring, then touring
The Touring Consortium
Lighting Designer Director: Kate Saxon
Set designer: Simon Higlett
Feb 2018
Cinderella on Ice Dance Teatro, Johannesburg, then touring
Imperial Ice stars
Lighting Designer Choreographer: Tony Mercer
Dec 2017
Aladdin Dance The Lowery, Birmingham Hippodrome, Sadler's Wells, Theatre Royal Plymouth, then touring
Birmingham Royal Ballet
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Choreographer: David Bintley
Set designer: Dick Bird
Sep 2017
Zazà Opera Holland Park, London
Opera Holland Park
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathnan
Director: Marie Lambert
Set designer: Alyson Cummins
Jul 2017
Il Turco in Italia Opera Worsley
Garsington Opera
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Director: Martin Duncan
Set designer: Francis O'Connor
Jun 2017
Il Turco in Italia Opera Worsley
Garsington Opera
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Director: Martin Duncan
Set designer: Francis O'Connor
Jun 2017
Semele Opera Worsley
Garsington Opera
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Director: Annilese Miskimmon
Set designer: Nicky Shaw
Jun 2017
Le nozze di Figaro Opera Worsley
Garsingon Opera
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Director: John Cox
Set designer: Robert Perdziola
Jun 2017
Jenufa Opera Royal Opera House, Stockholm,
Kunliga opera/ Swedish Royal Opera/ Scottish Opera/ Danish National Opera
Lighting Designer Director: Annelise Miskimmon
Set designer: Nicky Shaw
Mar 2017
The Tale of Januarie Opera Guildhall School of Music and Drama
GSMD
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Director: Martin Lloyd-Evans
Set designer: Dick Bird
Feb 2017
Dead Man Walking Opera Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen
Royal Danish Opera
Lighting Designer Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Director: Orpha Phelan
Set designer: Nicky Shaw
Jan 2017
The Sleeping Beauty Dance Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
The Royal Ballet
Lighting Designer Choreographer: Marius Petipa
Dec 2016
The Revenger's Tragedy Theatre Nottingham Playhouse
Nottingham Playhouse
Lighting Designer Director: Fiona Buffini
Set designer: Neil Murray
Oct 2016
Madama Butterfly Opera Glyndebourne, then touring
Glyndebourne
Lighting Designer Director: Annilese Miskimmon
Set designer: Nicky Shaw
Oct 2016
Nozze di Figaro Opera Theatre Royal, Glasgow and Touring
scottish opera
Lighting Designer Director: Sir Thomas Allen
Set designer: Simon Higlett
Oct 2016
Askepot Opera Danish National Opera Lighting Designer Director: Oliver Platt
Set designer: Neil Irish
Oct 2016
I Puritani Opera Musik Husset, Aarhus
Danish National Opera/ Den Jyske- co-production with WNO
Lighting Designer Director: Annilese Miskimmon
Set designer: Leslie Travers
Aug 2016
La Cenerentola Opera Opera Holland Park/ Danish National Opera Lighting Designer Director: Oliver Platt
Set designer: Neil Irish
Jul 2016
A Midsummer Night's Dream Theatre New Wolsey Theatre Lighting Designer Director: Trevor Nunn
Set designer: Libby Watson
Jun 2016
Iris Opera Opera Holland Park Lighting Designer Director: Olivia Fuchs
Set designer: Soutra Gilmour
Jun 2016
The Mikado Opera Theatre Royal, Glasgow and Touring
scottish opera
Lighting Designer Director: Martin Lloyd-Evans
Set designer: Dick Bird
May 2016
Little Lord Fauntleroy Dance Peacock Theatre, London
London Children's Theatre
Lighting Designer Choreographer: Jenna Lee
Set designer: Libby Watson
Apr 2016
The Silver Gym Theatre Queens Theatre Hornchurch Lighting Designer Director: Glen Walford
Set designer: Amy Yardley
Apr 2016
Pelléas et Mélisande Opera The Royal Opera House, Stockholm
Royal Swedish Opera/ Kungliga Operan
Lighting Designer Director: Keith Warner
Set designer: Ashley Martin-Davis
Mar 2016
The Rape of Lucretia Opera Silk Street Theatre, London
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Lighting Designer Director: Martin Lloyd-Evans
Set designer: Jamie Vartan
Feb 2016
Lulu Opera Teatro Comunale, Bolzano, Italy
Co-production with Welsh National Opera
Lighting Designer Director: David Pountney
Set designer: Johan Engels
Jan 2016
The Duchess of Malfi Theatre Nottingham Playhouse Lighting Designer Director: Fiona Buffini
Set designer: Neil Murray
Oct 2015
Nicholas Nickleby Theatre Chichester, Touring and Gielgud, then touring
Chichester Festival Theatre
Lighting Designer Director: Jonathan Church/ Phillip Franks
Set designer: Simon Higlett
Dec 2009
The Sleeping Beauty Dance Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
The Royal Ballet
Lighting Designer Set designer: Oliver Messel/ Peter Farmer Mar 2008
Sylvia Dance Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
The Royal Ballet
Lighting Designer Set designer: The Ironsides and Peter Farmer Jan 2008
Free Outgoing Theatre Jerwood Upstairs
Royal Court (English Stage Co)
Lighting Designer Director: Indhu Rubasingham
Set designer: Rosa Maggiora
Nov 2007
Uncle Vanya Theatre Birmingham Rep Lighting Designer Director: Rachel Kavenaugh
Set designer: Ruari Murchison
Mar 2007
Location availability:
  • Worldwide
Contact method Details
Email address

mj@markjonathan.com

Agent name

Clare Vidal-Hall

Agent phone

020 8741 7647

Website

http://www.markjonathan.com

Agent website

http://www.clarevidalhall.com

Agent email

cvh@clarevidalhall.com

Theatre:
  • West End
  • Commercial Tour
  • Regional (Main House)
  • Regional (Studio)
  • Fringe / Pub Theatre
Musical:
  • West End
  • Commercial Tour
  • Regional (Main House)
  • Regional (Studio)
Opera:
  • International
  • Large scale
  • Small scale
Dance:
  • UK National Company
  • Large Scale
Concert:
  • Arena Touring
Corporate:
  • Product Launches

News

Appearing here soon... a collection of articles from the Focus magazine archives.