The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance has announced that Kathleen Clawson will step down as Artistic Director of Dayton Opera at the conclusion of the 2025–2026 season.

Clawson began directing for Dayton Opera in the 2008–2009 season and went on to direct 15 productions between 2009 and 2020 before being named Artistic Director in 2021. Highlights of her tenure included seven new productions, seven Dayton Opera premieres, intimate recitals featuring international opera stars John Holiday and Will Liverman, and two innovative concerts that celebrated the best of opera with world-renowned pianist Howard Watkins.

In a statement, Patrick Nugent, President and CEO, said, “Kathleen has capped decades of involvement in DPAA with five years of visionary, inspiring productions. She is a dynamic and gifted colleague and artistic collaborator. We will miss her terribly as Artistic Director, but we look forward to continuing our creative relationship in other ways. Because of her artistically thrilling work, the opera audience in Dayton has been growing impressively since the pandemic.”

Clawson added, “I will be stepping down as Artistic Director of Dayton Opera at the conclusion of this season to center my focus on my family. I deeply love this work, revere my colleagues, and adore this community. I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together: building new audiences, maintaining an intentional focus on innovation, attracting exceptional Artists in Residence, and introducing rising young stars to Dayton. Most importantly, I am proud that our productions truly represent our community, ensuring every voice is present in the stories we tell. I am not retiring and intend to continue my work as a freelance opera director. Being the Artistic Director of Dayton Opera has been one of the most fulfilling artistic experiences of my life. I am grateful to the community that has embraced me and to have been a part of the great legacy of Dayton Opera.”

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