quick news: Brendan Cooke Named General Director of OperaDelaware

This just in…

Baltimore-favorite Brendan Cooke has accepted a position with OperaDelaware as their new General Director. Cooke has been the General Director of Baltimore Concert Opera and has appeared many times on stage with the Baltimore Opera and many other Mid-Atlantic companies. We here at The Sybaritic Singer wish him well and are happy to have BCO co-founder and board member Julia Cooke take the reigns as Executive Director. Kudos!

Here’s the information straight from Baltimore Concert Opera’s Ben Schuman:

Brendan Cooke Named General Director of OperaDelaware

Cooke to Remain with Baltimore Concert Opera in Artistic Capacity

BCO Names Julia Cooke as Executive Director

Dear Friends,

We are thrilled to announce that BCO’s co-founder and General Director Brendan Cooke has accepted a position as the General Director of OperaDelaware.  Brendan will resign as General Director of BCO and begin his new position at OperaDelaware on July 10, 2012.

But don’t worry!  Brendan will continue to be a big part of the BCO family, and will officially remain with BCO in an artistic capacity.

Tony Winchester, president of OperaDelaware’s board of directors, remarked, “Brendan’s rich experience in administration, operations, fundraising and leadership – combined with his creativity and passion for  the art form – made him a standout candidate for OperaDelaware.  We predict he’ll do great things for our opera company, and we are eager and excited to have Brendan join the team.”

We at the BCO are thrilled for Brendan — it is a testament to the fine work he has done in building BCO from the ground floor in the past three years into a vital and exciting part of Baltimore’s operatic landscape, and we have no doubt that his talents will be an excellent match for a fine company like OperaDelaware.  We hope that you will join us in congratulating Brendan on his new endeavour.

So what will happen at BCO?  Glad you asked!  Taking over leadership at BCO will be co-founder and board member Julia Cooke, who will assume the role of Executive Director.  Julia has been intricately involved in BCO’s operations since its founding, and is well known to the company’s patron and donor base.  Julia’s appointment assures a seamless transition and continued stability for the company.

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