Pittsburgh Opera’s General Director to Step Down

Christopher Hahn has announced his retirement from the end of the 2024/25 season

Having held leadership roles at the Pittsburgh Opera for over 20 years, Christopher Hahn has announced he will be retiring at the end of this concert season. 

Hailing from South Africa, Hahn’s career in opera began in 1983. Prior to joining Pittsburgh Opera, he held management positions at the San Francisco Opera Center and Los Angeles Opera.

In 2000, he was appointed Artistic Director of the Pittsburgh Opera and has served as its General Director since 2008.

The company credits him for expanding its repertoire by introducing Baroque and contemporary works, including three world premieres in recent years, as well as for developing the Opera’s Resident Artist training program, which annually receives more than 800 applications for a few select vacancies. 

Additionally, he successfully led the Pittsburgh Opera through the pandemic, during which the company became one of the few national organizations to safely present live, indoor performances for in-person audiences.

Pittsburgh Opera’s final production during Hahn’s tenure will be Verdi’s opera Falstaff. The group will also honor Hahn at its Maecenas Gala on May 16, 2025. 

Hahn’s successor is expected to be announced in early 2026.

“No single person is more responsible for Pittsburgh Opera’s many successes these past two-and-a-half decades than Christopher Hahn,” Pittsburgh Opera board chair Michele Fabrizi told WESA. “His vision and dedication are truly second to none.”