Diego de Brea (b.1969) studied comparative literature and art history at the Faculty of Philosophy in Ljubljana. In 1995 he started studying theatre direction at the Academy for Theatre, Radio, Film and Television in Ljubljana. In 1999 his graduation piece, The Birth of Light, won an award at the International Student Production Theatre Festival in Brno. He has authored a number of well-known performances in repertory and non-institutional theatres in Slovenia: SNG Drama Ljubljana, SNG Nova Gorica, LGL, SNG Maribor and abroad: Varna, London, Pariz, Antwerpen, Mons, Dortmund, Bratislava, Kolumbija, Čile. He tackles many genres ranging from youth pieces and puppet shows, to self-authored projects, classical and contemporary. In Italy he directed a self-authored project Leonora, starring the opera singer Eleonora Jankovich that was based on Wagner’s motifs. His self-authored project Duel, received a special award at the Borštnik Drama Meeting. In 2005, de Brea received the aesthetic breakthrough award at the same festival for his performances Queen Margot and Edward II. He also received the Golden Bird Award for theatre in 2002.