Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) is a nonprofit American opera company and summer festival based in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1976 by Leigh Gerdine, Laurance L. Browning Jr., and James Van Sant, it was created around a seasonal model influenced by The Santa Fe Opera. The organization generally presents four fully staged operas during a festival running from late May through June. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Webster University and are accompanied by musicians of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, organized into two ensembles so that each ensemble covers two productions. A defining feature of OTSL is its commitment to presenting opera in English. Its programming combines established repertory with less frequently performed works, American premieres, and newly commissioned operas. This approach has enabled the company to introduce audiences to contemporary composers and subjects while retaining a connection to the traditional operatic canon. By its 2025 festival season, OTSL had presented 45 world premieres, including works such as Stephen Paulus's The Postman Always Rings Twice, Terence Blanchard's Champion and Fire Shut Up in My Bones, Ricky Ian Gordon's Twenty-Seven, Jack Perla's Shalimar the Clown, Huang Ruo's An American Soldier, and Tobias Picker's Awakenings. The company began under the artistic leadership of Richard Gaddes, who had previously worked at The Santa Fe Opera. Gaddes became OTSL's full-time general director in 1978 and helped establish the organization's artistic and administrative model. The inaugural 1976 season included Britten's Albert Herring, Mozart's The Impresario, Menotti's The Medium, and Donizetti's Don Pasquale. The season used a modest budget and featured young singers who later developed significant careers. OTSL subsequently gained national and international recognition through broadcast activity, guest artists, new productions, and appearances at international festivals. In 1983 it became the first American opera company to appear at the Edinburgh International Festival. It later presented Japanese opera in Japan and returned to Tokyo in 2001 for the Japanese premiere of Minoru Miki's The Tale of Genji. OTSL has also functioned as an important training institution. Its Gerdine Young Artists program, named for founding board chairman Leigh Gerdine, brings emerging singers and other artists into the annual festival. The young artists form the company's seasonal chorus, since OTSL does not maintain a permanent resident chorus. The organization has provided early or prominent opportunities to singers including Christine Brewer, Susan Graham, Denyce Graves, Dwayne Croft, Thomas Hampson, Jerry Hadley, Patricia Racette, Sylvia McNair, and Stephanie Blythe. Directors and conductors such as Graham Vick, Jonathan Miller, Mark Lamos, Leonard Slatkin, and Christopher Hogwood also made notable American opera appearances through the company. Administratively, OTSL has moved from a short seasonal operation toward a year-round institution. Charles MacKay led the organization from 1985 to 2008 and oversaw the campaign to create the Sally S. Levy Opera Center, which provides administrative offices and rehearsal space. Projected English-language supertitles were introduced in 2005. Andrew Jorgensen has served as general director since 2018, while Daniela Candillari became principal conductor in 2022. James Robinson's artistic-director tenure ended in 2024, and Patricia Racette was appointed to succeed him beginning in October 2025. OTSL's current identity therefore combines summer festival presentation, new-work development, education, and professional preparation for emerging opera artists.

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis was established in 1976 by Leigh Gerdine, Laurance L. Browning Jr., and James Van Sant as a new summer opera organization for St. Louis. The founders recruited Richard Gaddes, then associated with The Santa Fe Opera, as the first artistic director. The company's structure deliberately drew on Santa Fe's seasonal model, combining a concentrated festival, young artists, rotating orchestral forces, and a mixture of standard and unusual repertoire. Gaddes became full-time general director in 1978. The first season presented eleven performances of four operas: Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring, Mozart's The Impresario, Gian Carlo Menotti's The Medium, and Gaetano Donizetti's Don Pasquale. The productions were performed in English and introduced young singers who later achieved substantial careers. From the outset, OTSL differentiated itself through repertory breadth and an interest in contemporary work rather than relying only on the most familiar canonical titles. During its early development, OTSL gained attention beyond Missouri. A production of Albert Herring became the basis for the company's first joint BBC/WNET telecast. In 1983, OTSL became the first American opera company to appear at the Edinburgh International Festival. The company also developed international connections in Japan, including what was described as the first production of a Japanese opera in Japan by an American company and a 2001 return to Tokyo for the Japanese premiere of Minoru Miki's The Tale of Genji. Leadership and artistic development remained central to the company's identity. Colin Graham served as director of productions from 1978 to 1985 and then as artistic director from 1985 until his death in 2007. John Nelson led the music program during the late 1980s, first as music director and subsequently as principal conductor. Stephen Lord served as music director from 1991 through 2017. James Robinson became artistic director in 2008, succeeding Graham, and directed the company through the 2024 season. Patricia Racette was selected to succeed Robinson beginning in October 2025. Charles MacKay succeeded Gaddes as general director in 1985 and held the position until 2008. During his administration, OTSL developed more permanent infrastructure, including the Sally S. Levy Opera Center, an administrative and year-round rehearsal facility. In 2005, the company introduced projected English-language supertitles in its performance venue. Timothy O'Leary served as general director from 2008 to 2018, followed by Andrew Jorgensen, who began the role in 2018 and remained in office thereafter. New opera became increasingly prominent in the company's work. OTSL's commissioning activity included the New Works, Bold Voices initiative, which supported works such as Champion, Twenty-Seven, and Shalimar the Clown. Other world premieres included The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Loss of Eden, Anna Karenina, An American Soldier, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, and Awakenings. By the 2025 festival season, the company reported 45 world premieres and at least 14 American premieres. This record positioned OTSL as an important incubator for new American opera and opera addressing contemporary social, historical, and cultural subjects. The company has maintained a strong artist-training mission through the Gerdine Young Artists program. Named for founding board chairman Leigh Gerdine, the program gives emerging singers practical experience in staged productions and supplies the annual chorus because OTSL does not retain a permanent chorus. The company has also hosted prominent directors, conductors, and singers, contributing to its reputation as a place where artists can develop before or alongside larger national and international careers. OTSL's history also includes institutional responses to misconduct concerns. Stephen Lord ended his emeritus relationship with the company in 2019 after published allegations of sexual misconduct. In 2020, Damon Bristo, then director of artistic administration, was arrested in a child-sex-trafficking case; OTSL placed him on unpaid leave and he later resigned. These events form part of the organization's recent administrative history but do not alter its continuing status as an active summer opera festival.

• 2025

  Patricia Racette selected as artistic director

  [1]Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org

  Racette was named artistic director effective October 1, 2025, while continuing to lead the Young Artist Programs.

• 2022

  Daniela Candillari appointed principal conductor

  [1]Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org

  Candillari became the first woman appointed principal conductor of OTSL.

• 2018

  Andrew Jorgensen becomes general director

  [1]Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org

  Jorgensen succeeded Timothy O'Leary as general director.

• 2005

  Projected English-language supertitles introduced

  [1]Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org

  OTSL adopted projected English-language supertitles in its theatre.

• 2001

  Tokyo presentation of The Tale of Genji

  [1]Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org

  The company returned to Tokyo to present the Japanese premiere of Minoru Miki's opera The Tale of Genji.

• 1983

  First American opera company at Edinburgh International Festival

  [1]Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org

  OTSL became the first opera company from the United States to appear at the Edinburgh International Festival.

• 1978

  Richard Gaddes becomes full-time general director

  [1]Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org

  Gaddes assumed full-time general-director responsibilities and helped formalize the company's seasonal operating model.

• 1976

  Company founded and inaugural season presented

  [1]Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org

  OTSL was founded by Leigh Gerdine, Laurance L. Browning Jr., and James Van Sant and presented its first season of four English-language operas.

A distinguished American summer opera festival emphasizing English-language performance, adventurous repertory, artist development, and the creation of new opera.

• Opera festival · 1976

  Annual Summer Opera Festival

  The core OTSL offering is a concentrated festival season generally running from late May through June. Four fully staged operas are typically presented in English at the Loretto-Hilton Center, with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra providing the orchestral accompaniment through two rotating ensembles.

• Opera commissioning initiative

  New Works, Bold Voices

  This commissioning initiative supports new opera by contemporary composers and librettists. Associated works include Champion, Twenty-Seven, and Shalimar the Clown, reflecting OTSL's effort to expand the repertory through new subjects, musical languages, and perspectives.

• Artist development program

  Gerdine Young Artists

  The Gerdine Young Artists program trains emerging opera professionals through participation in the annual festival. Young artists receive performance experience in staged productions and form OTSL's seasonal chorus, allowing the company to operate without a permanent resident chorus.

• New opera production · 1982

  World-premiere productions

  OTSL has commissioned or introduced numerous new operas, including The Postman Always Rings Twice, Anna Karenina, Champion, Twenty-Seven, Shalimar the Clown, An American Soldier, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, and Awakenings. These productions are a major part of the company's artistic profile.

• 2020

  Damon Bristo arrest

  Damon Bristo, then OTSL's director of artistic administration, was arrested on a second-degree child-sex-trafficking charge. The organization placed him on unpaid leave and he later resigned.

  Source

• 2019

  Stephen Lord misconduct allegations

  Stephen Lord resigned his OTSL music-director-emeritus association in June 2019 after allegations of sexual misconduct were published. The matter concerned a former artistic leader and resulted in a leadership-status change.

  Source

Read more

• 2025

  Appointment of Patricia Racette as artistic directorOther

  Background

  Following James Robinson's scheduled departure as artistic director in 2024, OTSL selected a successor for its artistic leadership.

  Action taken

  The company appointed Patricia Racette as artistic director effective October 1, 2025.

  Aftermath

  Racette became the first woman appointed to the artistic-director role and continued directing the Young Artist Programs.

  Source

• 2022

  Appointment of Daniela Candillari as principal conductorOther

  Background

  OTSL sought new principal-conductor leadership after Stephen Lord's music-director tenure and subsequent departure from the organization.

  Action taken

  OTSL appointed Daniela Candillari to an initial three-year contract.

  Aftermath

  Candillari became the first woman to hold the company's principal-conductor position; her contract was later extended through June 2028.

  Source

• 2005

  Adoption of projected English-language supertitlesStrategy

  Background

  Although OTSL traditionally performs operas in English, the company added visual text support for audience accessibility.

  Action taken

  The company introduced projected English-language supertitles in the theatre.

  Aftermath

  The change supplemented the company's English-language performance model with additional audience guidance.

  Source

• 1985

  Expansion of permanent institutional infrastructureStrategy

  Background

  The company needed year-round administrative and rehearsal capacity beyond its seasonal performance operations.

  Action taken

  During Charles MacKay's administration, OTSL led the campaign to construct and fund the Sally S. Levy Opera Center.

  Aftermath

  The facility gave the organization a permanent administrative home and rehearsal base.

  Source

• 2025

  Patricia Racette appointed artistic director[1]Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Racette was named the company's next artistic director, effective October 1, 2025, becoming the first woman appointed to the role.

• 2024

  James Robinson's artistic-director tenure scheduled to end[1]Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  OTSL announced Robinson's planned departure as artistic director in September 2024.

• 2022

  Daniela Candillari named principal conductor[1]Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Candillari was appointed principal conductor under an initial three-year contract, becoming the first woman to hold that position at OTSL.

• 2017

  Opera Theatre of Saint Louis appoints Roberto Kalb as resident conductor[1]Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  OTSL announced Roberto Kalb as resident conductor, beginning with the 2018 season.

1. 1Opera Theatre of Saint Louisen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Opera Theatre of Saint Louis official websiteopera-stl.org