Artistic Leadership

Lesley Koenig, General Director

Lesley Koenig’s career in opera follows a path that began in her teenage years at San Francisco Opera and brings her now to Opera Boston with dynamic and multifaceted experience both as an accomplished artist and manager of major performing arts organizations.

A stage director of opera for almost twenty years in top houses and festivals worldwide, Ms. Koenig is well versed in the life and inner workings of opera companies. Ms. Koenig began her career at San Francisco Opera at age 17 as a stage manager, and was engaged as a stage director at the Metropolitan Opera when just 23 – the youngest director then hired to date. With over 30 productions under her belt as stage director at the Met -- many of them conducted by the BSO’s James Levine -- Ms. Koenig directed a highly acclaimed new production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte with Levine in 1996. Martin Bernheimer, a famously articulate critic, ended his review of Ms. Koenig’s production with these words: “If only Così were always like this. If only opera were always like this.” Ms. Koenig holds three shared Emmy Awards from the Met for Outstanding Classical Program in the Performing Arts.

In 1998, Ms. Koenig took a sabbatical from her directing career to pursue further education, and in 2001 earned two Masters degrees from Stanford University, an MBA and an MA in Education. Shortly thereafter, San Francisco Ballet, the country’s first ballet company and among the best in the world, hired Ms. Koenig as General Manager in charge of all operations, including managing the opening of over 60 new productions and acquisitions during her tenure. Ms. Koenig also authored and realized the company’s five-year strategic plan that saw the Ballet through its 75th anniversary season.

Ms. Koenig subsequently left the Ballet and returned to the Metropolitan Opera to take the reins as Assistant Manager and Director of Production. Most recently, Ms. Koenig accepted a Fellowship at Stanford University in the Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society, and consults with the Stanford’s Institute for Creativity and the Arts.

In addition to her graduate school education at Stanford, Ms. Koenig holds degrees from Concord Academy and from Harvard University, with honors, in Fine Arts.

Photo by Liz Linder

Gil Rose, Artistic Director

Gil Rose is recognized as an important conductor helping to shape the future of classical music. Critics all over the world have praised his dynamic performances and his many recordings. Prior to his appointment as Artistic Director in 2010, Mr. Rose joined Opera Boston as its Music Director in 2002. During his tenure, Opera Boston has become one of the most important and innovative opera companies in America.

Recognized for his interpretation of varied operatic repertoire, Mr. Rose’s work has been diverse and widely acclaimed. Most recently with Opera Boston, Mr. Rose led the world premiere of Zhou Long’s Madame White Snake, in addition to new productions of Beethoven’s Fidelio starring Christine Goerke, Rossini’s Tancredi with Ewa Podleś and Offenbach’s La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein starring Stephanie Blythe, among others. Of the Boston premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s opera Ainadamar starring Dawn Upshaw, Opera News raved,” Gil Rose and his musicians brought their usual excellence to the evening, creating fire and a stunning evocation.” In the 2010-2011 season, Mr. Rose leads the New England premieres of Hindemith’s Cardillac and Donizetti’s Maria Padilla.

In 1996 he founded the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), the foremost professional orchestra dedicated exclusively to performing and recording music of the 20th and 21st centuries. From 2003-2006, he served as Artistic Director of the contemporary opera festival Opera Unlimited, a joint venture of BMOP and Opera Boston. During this time, he led the world premiere of Elena Ruehr’s Toussaint Before the Spirits, the New England premiere of Thomas Adès’s Powder Her Face, as well as the revival of John Harbison’s Full Moon in March. In 2006 Opera Unlimited presented the North American premiere of Peter Eötvös’s Angels in America to critical acclaim.

Mr. Rose’s extensive discography includes world premiere recordings of music by such composers as Charles Fussell, Steven Mackey, Evan Ziporyn and many more on such labels as Albany, Chandos, Naxos, New World, and, most notably, BMOP/sound, the label for which he serves as Executive Producer. His recordings have appeared on the year-end “Best of” lists of The New York Times, Time Out New York, The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, American Record Guide, NPR, and Downbeat Magazine and have been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards.