Pittsburgh Festival Opera welcomes Christopher Powell as executive director
Christopher M. Powell was named executive director of the Pittsburgh Festival Opera effective March 12.
Powell was the director of artistic initiatives for the Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, N.Y., for the past four years. He will work alongside Artistic Director Jonathan Eaton into the opera’s 42nd season.
The upcoming season opens July 12.
“I am honored to join the Pittsburgh Festival Opera team,” Powell said in a news release. “I am truly impressed by the enthusiasm of the board of directors, staff, and artistic director Jonathan Eaton who have given me insight into this wonderful company. I look forward to moving back to my beautiful hometown of Pittsburgh and becoming a partner within its vibrant cultural community.”
Powell’s resume includes a 14-year tenure as music administrator for the Pittsburgh Opera, where he was producer of “Co-Opera 2015, a collaboration between Carnegie Mellon University’s school of music, engineering, and drama and Heinz school of management to create a single-night performance of five world premiere one-act operas with live stream technology.
“It is with great pleasure that Pittsburgh Festival Opera announces the appointment of Mr. Christopher Powell to the position of executive director,” board president Dr. Eugene Meyers said in a news release. “His experience with the highly successful Glimmerglass Festival positions Pittsburgh Festival Opera to benefit from his leadership and to achieve a parallel degree of success.”
Founded in 1978 by mezzo-soprano and music educator Mildred Miller Posvar, Pittsburgh Festival Opera is dedicated to presenting innovative opera, including American works, reinterpretations of older works, and new works.
Details: pittsburghfestivalopera.org
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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