Donald Byrd was born in the USA. Between 1978 – 2002, he was artistic director of the Donald Byrd/The Group contemporary dance company and since 2002, he is the artistic director of Spectrum Dance Theater, a company whose mission is to present “dance as an art form and as a social/civic instrument.” With this company, he created A Chekhovian Resolution (a personal diary like reflection of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict), Farewell: A Fantastical Contemplation on America’s relationship with China and The Mother of Us All (a dense collage like abstract mediation on contemporary Africa) and many other works. He has choreographed more than 100 works for contemporary and classical dance companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Joffrey Ballet, Dance Theater of Harlem, Aterballetto, Maggio Danza di Firenze, Pacific Northwest Ballet and many others. Among his most acclaimed works are The Harlem Nutcracker (music by Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and David Berger), The Sleeping Beauty Notebook, Love (the Britten cello solo suites), A Different Legend (Duke Ellington), Burlesque (early recordings of Louis Armstrong) and many others. He has also worked with many theatre and opera companies including the New York Shakespeare Festival, the Intiman Theater in Seattle and the opera companies of San Francisco, Seattle and New York City. 

His works at the Israeli Opera include:
Giulio Cesare in Egitto (2017) - Akko