The Dallas Opera has announced conductor Claire Lewis as the recipient of the Martha R. and Preston A. Peak Fellowship for the 2026-27 season.

An alumna of the Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors (HIWC) Class of 2025, Lewis becomes the second conductor to hold the position since the fellowship was established last season. Lewis

During her fellowship year, Lewis, who participated in conductor training programs with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, the Richmond Symphony, and the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship Mentoring Program, will observe rehearsals of “The Cunning Little Vixen” on the TDO mainstage, work closely with Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director Emmanuel Villaume and TDO Chorus Director and Head of Music Paolo Bressan, and return to the Hart Institute as a speaker for the incoming class of 2026.

She will also conduct two student matinee performances of Rachel Portman’s “The Little Prince” in a shorter adaptation prepared by TDO.

“I’m honored to be the 2026-27 Martha R. and Preston A. Peak Fellowship Fellow, and I’m especially excited to bring The Little Prince to young audiences while learning firsthand from Emmanuel Villaume and Paolo Bressan,” Lewis said, per an official press release. “I’m also looking forward to engaging with the next cohort of the Hart Institute for Women Conductors and sharing a bit of my own path as I continue to grow through this experience.”

The Peak Fellowship was inaugurated in the 2025-26 season with conductor Jingqi Zhu (HIWC Class of 2023) as its first recipient.

The Hart Institute for Women Conductors, established by TDO in 2015, works to address the persistent gender imbalance on operatic and symphonic podiums internationally. Applications for the 2026-27 Hart Institute season are open through June 1, 2026.

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