OPERADELAWARE is a revelation…
Come revel with us

OUR MISSION

OperaDelaware produces bold, vibrant, and creative performances that empower artists, enrich the community, entertain audiences, and encourage curiosity.

OUR VALUES

Artistic Empowerment - We celebrate the dignity and diverse talents of artists and cultivate an environment where collective creativity flourishes.

Inclusivity and Diversity - We invite ALL people to experienec the beauty, joy, and passion of opera with us.

Inspiration - We produce high-quality, entertaining, and thought-provoking art that energizes audiences.

Curiosity - We encourage our community, artists, and staff to use the inquisitive nature of opera to explore life’s deep emotions and experiences.

OPERA FOR ALL

A Statement for inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility: OperaDelaware is committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in pursuit of opera for all with the intent of reflecting the greater community in which we reside, perform, serve, and on which we depend. 

OUR HISTORY

In 1945 a group of local artisans gathered under the guidance of Chick Laird to present classic opera with the finest voices in Wilmington at affordable prices. Today, our patrons are geographically and culturally as diverse as ever, stretching across the East Coast while at the same time reaching deeply into our Wilmington roots. Located in the heart of Wilmington, we serve the entire metropolitan area. 

OperaDelaware is the only professional opera company in the state and the 11th oldest in the country. It is a source of economic revitalization and a source of arts education for many schools in the area that have none. The company employs nearly 250 full- and part-time local artists and staffers throughout the season and operates on a $1.5 million annual budget. 

Artists we have nurtured have performed in major houses throughout the world. We have been the recipient of major grants from national and local organizations and have received numerous awards and recognitions, including the National Endowment for the Arts, Opera America, Governor’s Award for the Arts, and National Opera Associations’ Service to Children’s Opera award. We are a company that still retains the founders’ original philosophy of “Opera for Everyone.”

For a complete listing of our mainstage performances, please see our Past Productions page.

FINANCIALS

Click here to access OperaDelaware’s most recent 990.

OperaDelaware was recently elevated to Gold Status in Guidestar’s Candid Seal of Transparency. Click the icon below to learn more about the great work we do for our community. We want to make sure you have the progress updates you need to confidently support our work with trust and confidence.

THE OPERADELAWARE STUDIOS

OperaDelaware is located on the Wilmington Riverfront; our address is 4 S. Poplar Street, Wilmington, DE, 19801. With floor to ceiling windows looking out over the Christina River, our The Ethel L. Sayre Recital Hall is truly a breathtaking space, perfect for intimate recitals and concerts. Both The Ethel L. Sayre Recital Hall and The Presser Black Box Theater are available for event rentals. For more information about rentals, please go HERE.

OUR STAFF

Brendan Cooke, General Director
Brendan Cooke was appointed General Director of OperaDelaware in June 2012. Cooke joined OD from the Baltimore Concert Opera, a company he founded in 2008 in response to the collapse of the Baltimore Opera Company. Cooke and his board of directors launched this start-up opera company with $700 in personal funds. Under his leadership, BCO experienced exponential growth. After founding BCO, Cooke continued his career in Arts Administration as a member of the marketing team for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, where he was Group Sales Manager for the organization. He holds a Master’s degree in Music from the prestigious Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, (where he was a student of renowned bass-baritone John Shirley-Quirk) and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Loyola University in New Orleans. In addition to his entrepreneurial skills, Cooke brings to OperaDelaware extensive experience in front and back-office operations, fundraising, facilitation of corporate and community partnerships, education, sales, and marketing. Brendan resides in North Wilmington with his wife Julia and their boys Gus and Rex.

Anthony Barrese, Music Director
Maestro Anthony Barrese assumed the role of OperaDelaware's Music Director on Sept. 1, 2017. Maestro Barrese has conducted productions with the company for the past three seasons, including the East Coast Premiere of his reconstructed version of Franco Faccio’s Amleto. Maestro Barrese, who also serves as the Artistic Director of Opera Southwest in Albuquerque, NM, is a highly sought-after guest conductor with opera companies across the country and the world.

Kerriann Otaño, Vice President of Engagement
Kerriann Otaño joined OperaDelaware in the newly-established position of Vice President of Engagement in July 2022. After an extensive career as a spinto soprano in leading opera houses including Washington National Opera, Opera San Jose, Wolf Trap Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera, Kerriann began transitioning into artistic administration in 2019 with a focus on artist advocacy, IDEA initiatives, and mental healthcare for singers. She was the artistic administrator for Opera NEO at the onset of the pandemic before leading the marketing and public relations department at Opera Memphis for two years. Kerriann holds a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Indiana University and a Master’s degree from Mannes the New School for Music. In addition to her extensive knowledge of operatic repertoire and her enthusiasm for reaching new audiences, Ms. Otaño brings an artist-centered approach to her work, focusing on cultivating long-term relationships through deeply-rooted community collaboration, innovation, and robust artist-led initiatives. Kerriann resides in Wilmington with her husband, tenor Dane Suarez, and their sweet pups, Frankie and Chalupa.

Jordan Barrett, Director of Operations
Jordan Barrett is a musician and administrator in the Wilmington, Delaware area who has previously performed with OperaDelaware as a chorus member. As a singer, he also regularly performs with such groups as the Mastersingers of Wilmington, the Princeton Singers, and the Bard Music Festival Chorale. Prior to joining OperaDelaware in January 2019, he worked as an Accounts Receivable Specialist at Corporation Service Company, as well as a Legal Assistant for Delaware Counsel Group. He is currently the bass section leader of the Chancel Choir of First & Central Presbyterian Church and serves as a board member of Market Street Music. He studied Music Performance in Voice at the Pennsylvania State University (2007-2012) and the University of Delaware (2012-2014).

Diane Shomper, Board Liaison and Development Manager
Diane Shomper joined OperaDelaware as Board Liaison/Development Manager in November 2021. She brings to OD long experience in corporate communications in the industrial and financial services sectors. Her arts sector experience includes serving on the boards of the Delaware Chamber Music Festival and the Music School of Delaware, and also serving as a volunteer for OperaDelaware prior to joining the company. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in Speech Communication & Rhetoric from Wayne State University.

Zachery Lockwood, Assistant to the General Director
Zachery Tyler Lockwood joined the OperaDelaware staff in April 2023 after assistant stage managing for the company’s productions of Così fan tutte (2022) and La traviata (2023). Outside of OD, Lockwood (tenor) is an active performer and music educator with a focus on building community through the arts and advocating for innovative/underutilized vocal works. Lockwood has been praised for his ‘robust sound’ that possesses a ‘youthful exuberance.’ Formerly an Adjunct Professor of Applied Voice at Harford Community College, Lockwood brings to OperaDelaware an organized and community-driven approach towards its mission. He holds Bachelor’s degrees in both Vocal Performance & Music Education, and a Master’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy, from Towson University.

If you'd like to contact a member of our staff, please use the CONTACT US form.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS | 2024/25

Executive Officers
Sharon Gaudino, President
Christina MacMillan, Vice-President
Dennis Williams, Treasurer
Sarah Palm, Secretary

Board Members
Gregory P. Barclay MD
Ja’Nikka Caraballo
Carol Denson
Peter Gordon
Robert Grenfell
Michael J. Hoffman
Carlos Mackall
Dara McBride
Meghan Newberry
Nora Reilly
John E. Roberts
Jennie Romano
Ju Young Shin
Marguerite Thew, MD
Levi T. Thompson
Evelyn Williams

ADVISORY BOARD

Jerry Bilton
Roberts W. Brokaw, III
Francesca DiGuglielmo
E. Andrew DiSabatino, Jr.
S. Keith Duncan, Ph.D.
Elizabeth O’Brien
Kristine Stott
Matthew Sullivan
Cynthia du Pont Tobias