John Macfarlane studied at Glasgow School of Art and pursues careers in theatre and painting. His opera designs include Peter Grimes, The Magic Flute, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and L’Heure espagnole/Gianni Schicchi (The Royal Opera), Hansel and Gretel (Welsh National Opera/Metropolitan Opera), The Queen of Spades (WNO),War and Peace (Paris Opera, Bastille), La clemenza di Tito (Paris Opera), Trojans (English National Opera), Don Giovanni (La Monnaie, Brussels/San Francisco Opera), Elektra and Rusalka (Lyric Opera of Chicago), The Rake’s Progress (Scottish Opera), Maria Stuarda, Tosca, The Flying Dutchman and Agrippina (Metropolitan Opera) and Macbeth (Chicago). He has also designed sets and costumes for The Royal Ballet (most recently Swan Lake) and for theatres worldwide. He is a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Other awards include the Designer Laureate of Benois de la Danse (Moscow, for Hummingbird in 2015 and Swan Lake in 2019), Outstanding Creative Contribution by the Critics’ Circle at the National Dance Awards and the Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatrical Design (2026). His published works include John Macfarlane – Theatre Design and Studio (Graefeg, 2024).