Chicago Opera Theater

The Chicago Opera Theater (COT) is an American opera company based in Chicago, Illinois. COT is resident at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago's Millennium Park. In addition to productions of selected operas from the core opera repertoire, COT has had an emphasis on American composers and performers who sing in English.

Alan Stone founded the company as the Chicago Opera Studio in 1974. Stone utilised Jones Commercial High School as the mainstage location for the company until 1976. Subsequently, the company held a residency at the Athenaeum Theatre on the north side of Chicago through 2004. The company also gave occasional performances at the Merle Reskin Theater of De Paul University and at Rosary College in River Forest, Illinois.

Stone served as artistic director of COT until 1993. General managers of COT have included Marc Scorsa (1984-1990), Mark Tiarks, Jean Perkins, and Joseph De Rugeriis.

Long-standing financial difficulties led to the buildup of a deficit at COT of $500K (USD) by the spring of 1993. De Rugeriis and the COT board of directors chose to cease operations before the close of the company's 19th season. Following this initial shutdown of the company, the plan was for COT to reorganise its board and staff, and raise funds for a revival of the organisation. A $300K USD challenge grant caused the timetable to be accelerated. The company resumed operations in 1994, following a further series of high-level donations.

Brian Dickie became general director of COT in 1999, and held the post until August 2012. In December 2011, COT named Andreas Mitisek as its next general director, effective in 2012. In February 2017, COT announced that Mitisek is to stand down as its general director at the expiration of his contract in September 2017. Douglas Clayton, the current executive director of COT, is to replace Mitisek in the post.

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Wikipedia