regisseurs

Regisseur, plural regisseurs, is a term used in several European languages to designate a person responsible for directing a production in theatre, film, or opera. In Dutch and German contexts, regisseur denotes the director who shapes the artistic concept and oversees the realization of the work, comparable to the English term film director or stage director. In French, however, régisseur has a broader range of meanings: it can refer to the stage manager or production manager responsible for logistics during rehearsals and performances; the artistic director in cinema or theatre is typically called réalisateur or metteur en scène, and régisseur may also denote a house manager in some theatres. The exact use varies by country and discipline.

The regisseur's core responsibilities include interpreting the script or score, guiding actors or performers, determining pacing and blocking, and coordinating with designers, composers, and other creatives. In theatre and opera, the régisseur may supervise rehearsals, cues, and day-to-day operations; in film, the regisseur directs actors and camera work and may oversee post-production in collaboration with editors and producers. The precise authority depends on the production, the company structure, and national practice.

Etymology and scope: the term derives from the verb regire, to rule or direct, and cognate forms appear across several languages. Across contexts, regisseur describes a role that translates a written work into a realized performance, balancing artistic vision with practical execution.