Stephen Lord was recently chosen by Opera News as one ofthe "25 Most Powerful Names in U.S. Opera" (one of four conductors), and is continually praised for conducting both traditional and contemporary operatic works. For his recent debut with San Francisco Opera, conducting Rigoletto, one critic observed, "He partnered his singers perfectly and gave everything its proper weight - he was master of the score's details and the orchestra played superbly for him." He is currently music director for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and music director of Boston Lyric Opera until the end of the 2007-08 season.

Stephens Lord's 2007-08 season includes three productions for Opera Colorado: La traviata, Don Pasquale and Der fliegende Hollander; The Tales of Hoffmann for Opera Theater of Saint Louis; the Metropolitan Opera National Council concert; and L'elisir d'amore at Boston Lyric Opera. In summer of 2007 Stephen Lord returns to the San Francisco Opera Orchestra for the final concert of Stern Grove Festival's 70th season. His 2006-07 season included debuts with San Francisco Opera (Rigoletto) and Dallas Opera (La rondine), Un ballo in maschera and Le nozze di Figaro with Boston Lyric Opera, and I Puritani for Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Also in 2007 he conducted a concert Carmen for Wold Trap Opera. Future engagements include his debut with Lyric Opera of Chicago.

At Opera Theatre of Saint Lous Mr. Lord has conducted Romeo et Juliette, a double bill of Cavalleria rusticana and Suor Angelica, Tosca, Lucia de Lammermoor, The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, La traviata, Kat'a Kabanova, Il barbiere di Siviglia, The Rape of Lucretia, Candide, The Beggar's Opera, Curlew River, The Prodigal Son, The Gondoliers, King Arthur, La Fille du regiment,  Ariadne auf Naxos and Madama Butterfly. During his tenure with Boston Lyric Opera he has led productions of The Little Prince, Eugene Onegin, Rigoletto, Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, La rondine, Don Carlo, Don Pasquale, Madama Butterfly, LaFille du regiment, Salome, Aida, Die Zauberflote, La traviata, Romeo et Juliette, Lucia de Lammermoor, Werther, Tosca, L'elisir d'amore, Falstaff, Il barbiere di Siviglia, I Puritani and Carmen.

Stephen Lord made his New York City Debut in 2004 conducting La rondine. Other career highlights as guest conductor included appearances at Wolf Trap Opera (Romeo et Juliette, La boheme, Le nozze de Figaro and La clemenza di Tito) and with other North American companies such as the Canadian Opera, Opera Colorado, Michigan Opera Theatre, Florentine Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Opera Pacific, Cleveland Opera and Arizona Opera. Mr. Lord has been a guest with the Boston Pops and first appeared in San Francisco leading the Merola Grand Finale Concert for the opera company. He also conducted Opera Omaha in telecast productions of La traviata and Romeo et Juliette, and the world premiere of the completed critical edition of Les Contes d'Hoffman. Mr. Lord was previously music director of the Banff Festival Opera, where he conducted L'Ormindo, The Rape of Lucretia, Cendrillon, Le nozze di Figaro and Cosi fan tutte. 

In addition to his opera endeavors, Stephen Lord has conducted at Carnegie Hall for PDQ Bach's annual concerts and at the Berkshire Choral Festival Institute. Stephen Lord teaches Master Classes at various institutions including Yale University, The Blossom Festival, the Hartt School of Music and Westminster Choir College. In addition, he serves as an adjudicator in vocal competitions such as the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions, Opera America's George London/Sullivan Grants, and the Richard Tucker Foundation.