Francine Merry was appointed Chorus Master of English National Opera in London in 2004 and prepared the chorus for over fifty productions until 2012. She is now a freelance conductor, chorus director and vocal coach.​

​

For the ‘98/99 season the Royal Opera House (Teatro Real), Madrid invited her to be chorus-master for Aida, Carmen, and Hans Werner Henze's The Bassarids, the latter performed in the presence of the composer. She was subsequently appointed chorusmaster of the new Coro de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid which  was officially appointed as the resident chorus at the Teatro Real, Madrid.​

​
In 1991 and 1992 she was conductor of the international award-winning production of Carmen Jones at The Old Vic, London.​

She was invited on numerous occasions to work with the Philharmonia Chorus of London. Francine Merry has worked with many of the leading opera companies in the UK and abroad and was a resident conductor at the Opera House in Aachen, Germany, where she conducted many operas. She was on the music staff at English National Opera where she made her debut in 1992 conducting Rossini's Barber of Seville.​

​
The London Choral Society appointed Francine Merry as Chorus-Master in 1983 and she prepared the chorus for conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle and Sir Charles Mackerras.​

​
She has conducted many of the leading orchestras in Britain and abroad, founded the Chester Summer Music Festival and was its Artistic Director until 1985.  She subsequently founded the Chester Festival  Chorus. ​

​
Francine Merry studied music at Durham University and at the Guildhall School of Music, London where she was awarded the Ricordi Conducting Prize for opera, and the Guildhall Conducting Prize.​