The Chicago Opera Theater has announced that Lidiya Yankovskaya will step down from her position as Music Director at the end of the company’s 2023-24 season.In a statement, the conductor said, “It was a privilege to be part of steering Chicago Opera Theater through this pivotal time for both the company and the industry at large. I am very proud that we have deepened COT’s commitment to opera as a living art form by introducing more than 25 works to Chicago audiences for the first time, including nearly a dozen world premieres, while continually reaching new artistic heights. I have known new General Director Larry Edelson for many years, and am certain that his deep industry knowledge, artistic vision, and commitment to new repertoire will ensure continued excellence and forward momentum for the company. I’m eager to see the future he will help create, along with our incredible audiences, artists, board, and staff.”
Yankovskaya will continue to lead Chicago Opera Theater’s Vanguard Initiative, the immersive training and residency program for first-time opera composers which she created for the company in 2018.
