RICCARDO HERNÁNDEZ

David Geffen School of Drama at Yale - Co-Chair of Design Professor in the Practice and Head of Set Design
MFA Yale School of Drama
r.hernandez@yale.edu
@riccardo.hernandez.design

Born in Havana, Cuba, raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Riccardo Hernández is celebrated for his innovative and evocative scenic designs in theater and opera. His work, known for its minimalistic yet powerful aesthetic, has been a vital part of productions at venues like Broadway and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Hernández designs have been integral to the success of many critically acclaimed shows, his ability to create visually stunning and emotionally resonant spaces making him one of the most sought-after scenic designers in the industry. (OBSERVER)

Recent: Carmen, directed by Diane Paulus for Glyndebourne Opera UK; Les Paravents, directed by Arthur Nauzyciel for Odéon-Théâtre de l’Europe, Paris, Suffs for Music Box Theater Broadway (Drama Desk Nomination Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical); Lempicka directed by Rachel Chavkin for Longacre Theater Broadway (Tony Award Nomination Best Scenic Design of a Musical); Florencia En El Amazonas directed by Mary Zimmerman for Metropolitan Opera; Waiting for Godot directed by Arin Arbus for Theater For A New Audience.
Broadway: The Thanksgiving Play directed by Rachel Chavkin; Jagged Little Pill (Tony Nomination Best Scenic Design of a Musical); Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (Tony Nomination Best Revival of a Play), starring Audra McDonald and Michael Shannon; Indecent (2017 Tony Award Best Play Nomination - also Menier Chocolate Factory London); The Gin Game (Sets and Costumes - starring James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson); The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (2012 Tony Award Best Musical Revival); The People in the Picture (Studio 54); Tony Kushner’s Caroline, or Change (also Royal National Theater London - 2007 Olivier Award for Best New Musical/2006 London’s Evening Standard Award for Best Musical); TopDog/UnderDog (2002 Pulitzer AwardBest Play-also Royal Court, London); Elaine Stritch at Liberty (also West End’s Old Vic & National Tour); Parade (Hal Prince director, Tony and Drama Desk Nominations); Bells Are Ringing; Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk (also National Tours and Japan); The Tempest. Recent: Lempicka directed by Rachel Chavkin for La Jolla Playhouse; Carmen directed by Denyce Graves for Minnesota Opera and Glimmerglass Opera; Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 directed by Taibi Magar for Signature Theater; Jagged Little Pill; The White Card written by Claudia Rankine, both directed by Diane Paulus for American Repertory Theater; Toni Stone directed by Pam MacKinnon for Roundabout Theatre Company; Mes Fréres written by Pascal Rambert for Théatre National de la Colline - Paris; La Dame aux Camélias (France); Mlima’s Tale written by Lynn Nottage, directed by Jo Bonney; Oedipus El Rey written by Luis Alfaro all for Public Theater; Lempicka for Williamstown Theater Festival, and Light Shining in Buckinghamshire for NYTW, both directed by Rachel Chavkin; Admissions written by Joshua Harmon, directed by Daniel Aukin for Lincoln Center Theater; La Traviata (Canadian Opera Company), Merchant of Venice, King Lear, A Doll’s House and Strindberg’s The Father (both in repertory), The Skin of Our Teeth, and The Winter’s Tale all directed by Arin Arbus for Theater For A New Audience; The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World and Jesus Hopped the A Train for Signature Theater; Red Speedo written by Lucas Hnath, directed by Liliana Blain Cruz for New York Theater Workshop; Notes From the Field written and performed by Anna Deavere Smith for American Repertory Theater and Second Stage NYC; The Invisible Hand written by Ayad Akhtar, directed by Ken Rus Schmoll for New York Theater Workshop; Lucia di Lammermoor and Don Giovanni directed by Ron Daniels for Santa Fe Opera; Grounded written by George Brant, directed by Julie Taymor for Public Theater; The Library directed by film director Steven Soderbergh for Public Theater; Splendid’s written by Jean Genet, directed by Arthur Nauzyciel for Theatre National de la Colline, Paris France. For Avignon Festival (France): La Mouette (Cour D’Honneur, Palais des Papes); Jan Karski, Mon Nom Est Fiction (Opera Theatre and Teatr Polski, Warsaw). World Premieres of Il Postino (Sets and Costumes) with Placido Domingo for Los Angeles Opera, also at Theatre du Chatelet Paris, Theater an der Wien Vienna, PBS Telecast; and Philip Glass’ Appomatox for San Francisco Opera, directed by Robert Woodruff; Abigail’s Party (Oslo National Theater, Norway); The Dead New Adaptation by Frank McGuiness and Othello both for Abbey Theater, Dublin; World Premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s  A Coffin in Egypt (Sets and Costumes) for Houston Grand Opera; Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail (Opera de Nice, France); Il Tabarro/I Pagliacci, Sweeney Todd (Opera Theater of Saint Louis); The Lost Highway (Sets and Costumes) directed by Diane Paulus for London’s English National Opera/Young Vic. Riccardo Hernández has designed over 250 productions at most leading Regional Theaters and Opera across the US and Internationally. Over thirty productions at New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater: The America Play; One Flea Spare; Stuff Happens; Blade to the Heat (Audelco Award); TopDog/UnderDog; Noise/Funk; Mother Courage (starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline) both directed by George C. Wolfe; (also collaborations with: Diane Paulus, Lear DeDessonet, Jo Bonney, Mary Zimmerman, Daniel Sullivan, Mark Brokaw, Kathleen Marshall, Mark Lamos, Ron Daniels, Graciela Daniele, others), BAM, Lincoln Center, TFANA, Atlantic Theater (collaborations with film director Ethan Cohen), Second Stage (Let Me Down Easy written and performed by Anna Deavere Smith, also PBS Great Performances); NYTW, MTC, MCC, Playwrights Horizons, others. Regional: American Repertory Theater (collaborations with Diane Paulus, Ron Daniels, Robert Woodruff, Janos Szasz, Arthur Nauzyciel, Robert Brustein, Leonard Foglia, Liz Diamond), Guthrie, Goodman, Taper, La Jolla, Steppenwolf, McCarter, Yale Repertory Theater, others. Opera: Don Giovanni (Diane Paulus director, Chicago Opera); Charles Wuorinen’s Haroun (Mark Lamos director, New York City Opera); Amistad (George C. Wolfe director, Lyric Opera of Chicago); Houston Grand Opera, FGO, Santa Fe Opera, Gotham Opera NYC, others. Also: Festival Automne Paris, Orleans CDN France, Teatro Real de Madrid, Det Norske Teatret, Oslo Norway, MXAT (Moscow Art Theater), Singapore International Festival of Arts. Numerous Awards and Nominations: OBIE AwardSustained Excellence of Scenic Design; Henry Hewes Design Award Outstanding Scenic Design; Princess Grace Statue Award; Princess Grace Grant, Drama Desks, Connecticut Critics Circle, Helen Hayes, Audelco, American Theater Wing, Boston Elliot Norton Award, Jeff Award, others. MFA Yale School of Drama.