The longtime leader of Opera Philadelphia, David Devan, will step down in June 2024, at the end of the next season.
Devan has been the executive director for 12 years. In that time, he turned Opera Philadelphia into an industry leader by seeking out contemporary works, nurturing new composers with commissions and residencies, and aggressively pivoting to digital productions during the height of the pandemic.
“He literally created a company in step with Philadelphia, created a very urban, new wave opera company,” said board chair Steven Klasko. “We have become one of the leaders in adding new American operas to the repertoire.”