David Devan is general director and president of Opera Philadelphia, where he works on strategic planning initiatives and builds partnerships within the Philadelphia community and the opera world. He joined Opera Philadelphia in January 2006 and was appointed general director of the company in 2011. His key achievements include the establishment of the annual Festival O, supported by a Center Advancement grant; the establishment of the nation's first ever collaborative Composer in Residence Program with New York partners Gotham Chamber Opera and Music-Theatre Group, designed to foster the growth of tomorrow's great operatic composers; the 2020 launch of the Opera Philadelphia Channel, a streaming platform featuring cinematic world premieres and archival stage productions; and the creation of the Center-funded American Repertoire Program in 2011, committing to produce an American work in 10 consecutive seasons, solidifying Opera Philadelphia's role as a national leader in the creation of new works. Under Devan's leadership, Under Devan's leadership, Opera Philadelphia has commissioned or co-commissioned 15 new stage operas, including Cold Mountain, written by Pew Fellow Jennifer Higdon and Gene Scheer, and the Center-supported Breaking the Waves, by Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek, based on the film by Lars von Trier.
