Pittsburgh Opera has announced that General Director Christopher Hahn will retire at the conclusion of the company’s 2025–26 season.

Hahn, a native of South Africa, has held the position of General Director since 2008 and as Artistic Director since 2000. During his tenure, Pittsburgh Opera expanded its repertoire to include Baroque and contemporary works and produced its first three world premieres: “The Summer King – the Josh Gibson Story” in 2017, “Savage Winter” in 2018, and “In a Grove” in 2022. Two additional world premieres are scheduled during his final seasons, including “Woman With Eyes Closed” in April 2025 and “Time to Act” in February 2026.

Hahn was also at the forefront of developing Pittsburgh Opera’s Resident Artist training program. Moreover, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pittsburgh Opera became one of the first opera companies in the United States to resume live indoor performances for in-person audiences.

Prior to his time with Pittsburgh Opera, Hahn was Rehearsal Administrator at San Francisco Opera,  before managing the San Francisco Opera Center and the Merola Opera Program. He also served as Artistic Administrator at Los Angeles Opera.

“No single person is more responsible for Pittsburgh Opera’s many successes these past two and a half decades than Christopher Hahn,” said Pittsburgh Opera Board Chair Michele Fabrizi, per an official press release. “His vision and dedication are truly second to none.”

Pittsburgh Opera has engaged Margaret Genovese of Genovese Vanderhoof & Associates to conduct a search for Hahn’s successor, with an announcement anticipated in early 2026.

Read Related Stories

• Pittsburgh Opera to Present ‘Fellow Travelers’ for the First Time

• Pittsburgh Opera to Present ‘Curlew River’

• Pittsburgh Opera Names 2025-26 Resident Artists