Chicago, IL (Tuesday, September 1, 2026) — The Board of Directors of Chicago Opera Theater (COT) today announced the unanimous approval of a five-year extension of General Director Lawrence Edelson's contract through 2031, reaffirming its confidence in his artistic leadership and strategic stewardship of the company.

Since assuming the role of General Director in July 2023, Edelson has led Chicago Opera Theater through a period of institutional stabilization, artistic achievement, and renewed national visibility. Working closely with the Board, staff, artists, and supporters, he has advanced the company's long-standing commitment to producing adventurous opera while strengthening its financial foundation and expanding its engagement with audiences throughout Chicago.

“When Larry joined Chicago Opera Theater, the company was at a pivotal moment and facing significant financial pressures,” said COT Board President Allen Heinemann. “In a remarkably short period of time, he worked closely with the board to steward the company’s 50th anniversary with care and fiscal discipline while initiating a sustained effort to address longstanding structural financial challenges and strengthen our financial footing, all while reaffirming COT’s distinctive role in Chicago’s vibrant cultural landscape.

“Larry was originally engaged on a three-year contract, and the board is delighted to extend his tenure for an additional five-year term. We look forward to the ongoing momentum of his leadership as we continue our work to strengthen COT while bringing audiences compelling productions of new and rarely performed operas, expanding opportunities for Chicago-based artists, and deepening COT’s impact in Chicago Public Schools.”

During Edelson's tenure, Chicago Opera Theater has continued to distinguish itself as one of America's leading producers of new, rarely performed, and rediscovered operatic works. His programming has balanced innovative contemporary opera with compelling reexaminations of overlooked masterpieces while introducing audiences to diverse artistic voices and new perspectives. Highlights of his tenure have included the world premiere of Jasmine Arielle Barnes and Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton’s She Who Dared, and the Chicago premiere of Kurt Weill and Georg Kaiser’s Der Silbersee.

Under his leadership, the company has also deepened its commitment to commissioning and developing new work, expanded the Opera for All program in Chicago Public Schools, and broadened community engagement initiatives designed to make opera more accessible and relevant to audiences across the region through partnerships with organizations including the DuSable Black History Museum, Steppenwolf Theatre, and The Illinois Holocaust Museum.

Edelson has also worked closely with the Board of Directors to lead an ongoing examination of Chicago Opera Theater's long-term strategic future, exploring how the company can best fulfill its mission in a rapidly changing cultural and economic landscape. Together, they are continuing to evaluate forward-looking strategies that will strengthen the organization's artistic, financial, and organizational sustainability while reinforcing COT's national reputation for artistic innovation and civic engagement.

“Chicago is one of the world's great opera cities, and Chicago Opera Theater plays a singular role within its cultural life,” Edelson said. “For more than five decades, this company has championed artistic discovery, embraced creative risk, and demonstrated that opera can be both deeply rooted in tradition and boldly contemporary. I am grateful to the Board of Directors for their confidence and continued partnership. At a time when the performing arts sector is navigating profound change, I am especially thankful to serve an organization that is willing to ask fundamental questions—not only about what we should produce, but about how we can best serve our audiences, artists, and community. That same spirit of curiosity and innovation has defined Chicago Opera Theater throughout its history, and I am excited to know that it will continue to guide our future.”

Chicago Opera Theater’s 2026-2027 Season features two major Chicago premieres: Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s The Importance of Being Earnest (December 2–6, 2026) and the Brothers Grimm-inspired The Juniper Tree by Philip Glass and Robert Moran (May 19–23, 2027). The company rounds out its programming with special "Discovery Concerts" designed to deepen the contextual experience of both mainstage productions. The 2026-27 season also marks the launch of Chicago Sings, a bold new commissioning initiative supporting Chicago-based composers in the creation of full-length operas for mainstage production. Building on COT’s Vanguard Initiative, COT will commission new works by Vanguard alumni who live and work in Chicago—artists whose voices reflect the city’s imagination, grit, and boundless creative spirit—further deepening the company’s investment in local artists and stories. The first commission under the Chicago Sings banner is Inventing Oz by composer Stacy Garrop, COT’s first Vanguard composer, and librettist Sam Norman. Inventing Oz is a fantastical exploration of how L. Frank Baum’s imagination was ignited during his years living in Chicago, leading to the creation of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”  Audiences will have the opportunity to experience the work’s development firsthand through a piano-vocal workshop and concert of the work-in-progress Monday, August 9, 2027 at 7:00 pm at The Studebaker Theater, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the creation this exciting new opera while furthering COT’s commitment to expanding access to the artistic process.

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