Opera Philadelphia Extends Contracts of General Director David B. Devan and Music Director Corrado Rovaris Through 2020
Philadelphia, October 2, 2015: Board Chairman Daniel K. Meyer, M.D. announced today that Opera Philadelphia’s Board of Directors has extended David B. Devan’s contract as the company’s General Director and President and Corrado Rovaris’s contract as the Jack Mulroney Music Director through the end of the 2019-20 season. Both Devan and Rovaris have been galvanizing leaders at Opera Philadelphia, guiding the company through a transformative period of innovation that led Opera News to describe it as “one of the leading instigators of new work in the country.” With their leadership and artistic vision, Opera Philadelphia has grown into a company of international stature and a favorite co-producing partner with companies all over the globe, developing fresh productions of classic works as well as premieres by today’s leading composers. The company has engaged and energized both established and emerging artists, providing important role debut opportunities for singers including Lawrence Brownlee, Eric Owens, Nathan Gunn, Stephanie Blythe, Christine Goerke, Leah Crocetto, and Lisette Oropesa. As the Daily Beast recently commented, “Opera Philadelphia has been at the forefront of commissioning new operas with contemporary subject matter and an innovative, genre-blending sensibility to snare a younger audience and revitalize opera for the 21st century.”
Meyer explained:
“David Devan and Corrado Rovaris have transformed Philadelphia into a destination for opera lovers, delivering outstanding productions of traditional and new repertoire that engage our public and propel our genre forward. Over the past few seasons, I have continually heard praise for both David and Corrado from the leaders of our community, from their colleagues in the opera world, and from the many internationally renowned artists who have performed on our stages. David and Corrado have a talent for identifying extraordinary artists, both established and emerging, and providing opportunities for them to create their most imaginative and inspired work here with Opera Philadelphia. The Board looks forward to many continued years of innovation and artistic excellence under their leadership.”
Devan responded:
“I love Philadelphia and I am proud to continue serving Opera Philadelphia as General Director well into the future. It is enormously gratifying to have been part of this company as we have launched initiatives such as the American Repertoire Program, Opera in the City, Opera on the Mall, and the Composer-in-Residence program. The Board’s validation of our work strengthens our resolve to continue to develop opera for 21st-century audiences.”
David B. Devan (photo: Gene Smirnov)
Click here to download a photograph of David B. Devan, and here to read his biography.
Rovaris said:
“Philadelphia has welcomed me and my family since we arrived ten years ago, and I am honored to continue in my role as Music Director with Opera Philadelphia. I believe the work we are doing on the stage and in the city is truly having an important impact on our community, and I am excited by the opportunity to continue to work with the world’s greatest singers, the outstanding musicians in the Opera Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus, and the dedicated Board and staff of this company.”
Corrado Rovaris (photo: Gabello Studios)
Click here to download a photograph of Corrado Rovaris, and here to read his biography.
The company also announced that Kristy Edmunds and Peggy Monastra have joined the staff as Artistic Advisors, alongside Opera Philadelphia’s existing artistic advisory staff, which includes baritone Nathan Gunn, who has served as Director of the American Repertoire Council since 2012, and Mikael Eliasen, Artistic Director of Curtis Opera Theatre. Today’s announcement is part of the continuing evolution of a company that Opera Now calls “a dynamic place to experience opera in the 21st century.” Now in its 41st season, Opera Philadelphia is committed to embracing innovation and presenting programming that broadens and diversifies the audience for opera.
About Opera Philadelphia
Opera Philadelphia creates outstanding productions of both classic and new operatic works that resonate within the community, assembles the finest international creative artists, and presents a wide array of programming that educates, deepens, and diversifies the opera audience in Philadelphia and beyond. Opera Philadelphia is leading the field in the development of new opera. In partnership with Music-Theatre Group, the company runs the nation’s first collaborative Composer-in-Residence program, made possible by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, with talented composers Lembit Beecher, Missy Mazzoli, Andrew Norman, and David T. Little each involved in several years of intensive, hands-on work to develop an understanding of the many facets of developing and producing opera. In tandem with the Composer-in-Residence program, the American Repertoire Program is aimed at fostering a new generation of opera composers and telling authentically American stories. It is steered by the American Repertoire Council, a committed group of volunteer advisors overseen by operatic baritone Nathan Gunn. More information is available at www.operaphila.org.
Media Contacts
Opera Philadelphia: Frank Luzi, [email protected], (215) 893-5902
21C Media Group: Glenn Petry, [email protected], (212) 625-2038
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© 21C Media Group, October 2015