Biography

American conductor Christopher James Ray has held positions with the Bayreuth Festival and with Opera San José, where he spent three seasons as resident conductor. In the 2023-24 season, he makes his debut conducting the San Francisco Symphony in a SoundBox program curated by Mazz Swift, conducts Le Nozze di Figaro at USC opera, and assists in performances with the San Francisco Symphony, San Diego Symphony, and Hamburg State Orchestra. Mr. Ray served as assistant to American composer Carlisle Floyd and has remained a sought-after interpreter of his late mentor’s works. He is a founding member of the Carlisle Floyd Centennial Project. Mr. Ray made his professional debut in his home state conducting the Mississippi Opera and has since been a part of productions with the Festival Napa Valley, Salzburg State Theater, Sarasota Opera, New York City Opera, and the Memphis, California, and Lima symphonies.