Opera San Antonio has made some major changes to its primary leadership position.

The company recently announced that is has named E. Loren Meeker as its next General and Artistic Director and that Francesco Milioto will be its Music Director.Garnett Bruce will continue as Artistic Advisor to the company.

Meeker has been involved with Opera San Antonio since 2017 when she directed “The Barber of Seville.” She has since directed productions of such operas as “Tosca” and “La Bohème,” with “Rigoletto” coming in spring of 2020. She was named Artistic Advisor in January 2019 and will now become the head of the company’s creative future.

“I am grateful to Blair Labatt and the Board of Directors for trusting me to grow the company into an artistic institution that the city of San Antonio can uphold as one of its cultural pillars,” Meeker said in a press release. “It has been a gift to work at OPERA San Antonio and perform in the beautiful Tobin Center. I look forward to working closely with the amazing staff, artists, and musicians who form the core of our company along with the patrons, volunteers, and audience members who are so generous with their love and support of this incredible art form.”

Milioto is the company’s first Music Director. He has led performances of “La Traviata” and “Tosca” and is set to conduct “Rigoletto” in 2020.

“I am so excited and grateful to have been given this incredible opportunity,” stated Milioto. “From the very beginning of my relationship with OPERA San Antonio I felt a wonderful sense of support and respect as an artist. The company’s dedication and enthusiasm for producing opera at the highest level is inspiring. I look forward to working with Loren and Blair, our wonderful staff, and the incomparable San Antonio Symphony to further establish OPERA San Antonio as a world-class opera company.”