Dallas Opera Announces New General Director & Manager

By David Salazar

Ian Derrer is the new General Director and Manager of the Dallas Opera. The announcement was made on Thursday, April 5, 2018, ending a challenging period for the company without an official figurehead. He will officially be known as The Kern Wildenthal General Director.

Derrer was the former Artistic Administrator with the company and was recently the Artistic Director at Kentucky Opera. He is expected to step into his official duties as soon as July 2018.

There is a definite air of excitement about this appointment,” stated Dallas Opera Chairman Holly Mayer in a press release. “Ian is well loved and greatly respected by our board members, TDO staff, and the opera world.  And, he returns to a place where he already has deep roots, along with a host of friends and admirers.

“However, familiarity doesn’t outweigh managerial skills and experience. The reason Ian was selected to be The Dallas Opera’s next general director and CEO,” she adds, “is because, by the end of the selection process, it was clear to myself and other members of the search committee that, among a very impressive field of contenders, Ian stood out.”

Derrer’s arrival on the scene comes a few months after Keith Cerny announced that he would be stepping away from the position at the end of 2017 to take over the Calgary Opera. Cerny had been at the forefront of the company for seven-and-a-half years, many of which also featured Derrer.

The newly appointed General Director will now work closely with Music Director Emmanuel Villaume to further develop Dallas Opera.

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