Keith Wolfe-Hughes
General Director
Opera Birmingham
Professional Bio
Keith A. Wolfe-Hughes joined Opera Birmingham as its General Director in January 2015, leading the company as it expands both the variety of works presented on the stage as well as opportunities to engage with the community in programs off the stage. He helped the company launch a successful chamber opera series, bringing powerful contemporary stories to life through song, and started informal pop-up Opera Shots concerts and an annual Children’s Opera performance.
Prior to Opera Birmingham, Keith worked fourteen seasons with Fort Worth Opera, first as Managing Director since 2001 then as Executive Director as of March 2014. He also served as the former Artistic Director of the Fort Worth Men’s Chorus, and was appointed as Interim Director of the Opera Studio at Texas Christian University in Fall 2013. During his tenure at Fort Worth Opera, Mr. Wolfe-Hughes developed a number of expanded training programs for area young artists, including the development of the Fort Worth Opera Studio and formulated “The Ten Commandments of Auditions” with General Director Darren K. Woods, which was featured in Classical Singer magazine. Recent programming includes strategic planning for singers in master classes and seminars, and serving as a panelist for Opera America, presenting both the strategic planning process as well as how technology can be used to streamline the artistic process. Keith also serves on the Board of Directors for the Alabama Association of Nonprofits.
Previously, Mr. Wolfe-Hughes served for seven years as the General Manager of the Seagle Music Colony (now the Seagle Festival) in upstate New York, the oldest young artist training program in the United States, where he returned to conduct Mark Adamo’s Lysistrata, and workshops of Jorge Martín’s Before Night Falls and Joe Illick’s Bliss. Keith holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and opera.
Prior to Opera Birmingham, Keith worked fourteen seasons with Fort Worth Opera, first as Managing Director since 2001 then as Executive Director as of March 2014. He also served as the former Artistic Director of the Fort Worth Men’s Chorus, and was appointed as Interim Director of the Opera Studio at Texas Christian University in Fall 2013. During his tenure at Fort Worth Opera, Mr. Wolfe-Hughes developed a number of expanded training programs for area young artists, including the development of the Fort Worth Opera Studio and formulated “The Ten Commandments of Auditions” with General Director Darren K. Woods, which was featured in Classical Singer magazine. Recent programming includes strategic planning for singers in master classes and seminars, and serving as a panelist for Opera America, presenting both the strategic planning process as well as how technology can be used to streamline the artistic process. Keith also serves on the Board of Directors for the Alabama Association of Nonprofits.
Previously, Mr. Wolfe-Hughes served for seven years as the General Manager of the Seagle Music Colony (now the Seagle Festival) in upstate New York, the oldest young artist training program in the United States, where he returned to conduct Mark Adamo’s Lysistrata, and workshops of Jorge Martín’s Before Night Falls and Joe Illick’s Bliss. Keith holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and opera.
Organization
Opera Birmingham
Birmingham, AL 35223 205.322.6737
Organizational Membership
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Arts/Arts Education