In what promises to be a significant change to one of Knoxville’s most important arts organizations, Knoxville Opera has announced that current Artistic Director Brian Salesky will be stepping down when his current contract concludes in 2022. He will finish the current 2021-22 season which includes a production of Boito’s Mefistofele in March and a Puccini Gala Concert and the 2022 Rossini Festival in April.
As part of the reorganization, current Executive Director Jason Hardy will become general director and CEO. A new artistic team will consist of Dean Anthony as KO’s producing director, Elizabeth Moore as music coordinator, and Keturah Stickann as artistic advisor.
Don Townsend, the company’s longtime production manager, will remain, as will Loneka Wilkinson Battiste, the Director of Education and Community Development.
Anthony brings more than 30 years of experience to the new position, experience that includes performer, director, and producer including Director of Opera with the Janiec Opera Company of the Brevard Music Festival. In recent work with Knoxville Opera, Anthony was stage director for Aida in 2018 and Cavalleria rusticana in 2019.
As Music Coordinator, Moore will oversee musical preparation for the company’s performances and will provide vocal coaching and performance opportunities for members of the Opera Studio at the University of Tennessee.
Stickann has previously stage directed several productions for Knoxville Opera including the 2015 production of Verdi’s Il Trovatore. As a champion of new approaches to opera in America, she recently won critical acclaim for her pandemic season “drive-in” productions of La Bohème and The Barber of Seville at San Diego Opera.
Frank Rosamond, chair of the Knoxville Opera board of directors, is enthusiastic about the contributions Anthony, Moore, and Stickann will make. “These artists combine broad experience in producing opera with a passion for developing young artists and connecting audiences with opera. They will be a major asset to our company and the Knoxville community.”
“These artists are highly respected throughout the opera industry,” Hardy said. “Their diverse perspectives and collective experiences have helped push the field forward both on stage and off. As future residents of Knoxville, I’m delighted that they will all bring a commitment to operatic storytelling, arts education and civic practice to our city.”
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In an earlier version of this article, it was incorrectly stated that Jason Hardy is the Interim Executive Director of Knoxville Opera. Hardy was hired as interim director in 2020 but is currently Executive Director.
