Dallas’ arts community was surprised last Christmas by the sudden resignation of Keith Cerny as the Dallas Opera’s CEO and general director. Today, the DO announced the appointment of a new general director — Ian Derrer.
“[We selected] a candidate who had worked behind the scenes at the Santa Fe Opera [and other places before] accepting his first administrative position at the New York City Opera,” said Holly Mayer, DO’s board chair, when announcing him. Derrer, who is openly gay, was at the DO previously as artistic administrator, but returns now to head the organization as its 8th general director.
This was a very rich and intense search,” noted music director Emmanuel Villaume. “Suddenly, you have many friends.”
“It’s a very difficult job in our environment today being the general director of an opera — according to some people, an impossible job? So why did you take this job?” Villaume joked during the introduction.
“A persuasive music director!” Derrer shot back. “Being general director means keeping your eye on many many things.”
He attended SMU’s Meadow School to study voice and comes from a stint as GD at the Kentucky Opera. His first day on the job is in July.
— Arnold Wayne Jones
