Dallas Opera’s Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO Ian Derrer, in his TDO office at the Winspear, is handing the reins over to David Lomelí effective June 1. (Photo by Rich Lopez/Dallas Voice)
RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
In February, The Dallas Opera’s Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO Ian Derrer announced that he will not renew his contract. After a tenure of eight years as the head of TDO, he will hand the reins over to David Lomelí effective June 1.
But Derrer is far from done with opera. He will take on the position as general director of the Canadian Opera Company on July 1.
By press time, Derrer will have likely packed up his office, collecting all of the mementos and books, and he likely will have finalized any remaining business while also giving Lomelí the lay of the land.
But before all that, he took time to speak about his last days and how this ends a long history with both the city and the organization for him as well as saying goodbye to the LGBTQ+ community he was a part of.
“It’s a bittersweet departure,” he admitted. “This marks the end of three chapters in Dallas for me: graduating from SMU 30 years ago; returning as artistic administrator from 2014 to 2016 and serving eight years as general director.
“I’m incredibly grateful for what we’ve achieved and for this warm, welcoming community,” he said. “I will miss Dallas very much.”
An easy approach to talking about his time would be to ask what his favorite production was.
He drops some titles, but he does have a personal highlight.
At the end of TDO’s past season, after the cast and conductor Emmanuel Villaume of Don Carlo, Derrer was called onstage to take his final bow — a symbolic end that stood out as a memorable moment.
“There were several emotional highlights,” he continued. “Madame Butterfly coming out of the pandemic was powerful, and Don Carlo served as a wonderful bookend for my final bow.
That was very special.
“However, Electra and Dialogues of the Carmelites were exceptional productions that still give me goosebumps.”
But really, his reflection on his tenure was less on productions and more about the company’s legacy as well as its survival. Derrer had to lead the company safely through the pandemic. Without audiences — or even the mere danger of people singing — the struggle was real.
“I’m astonished by the challenges we navigated,” he said, particularly leading the company safely through the pandemic. Clearly, they did OK with outstanding seasons since. But perhaps his biggest achievement was with TDO’s most recent campaign.
The company ended 2025 with the successful completion of a $25 million challenge grant from Texas-based O’Donnell Foundation, after the foundation required TDO to secure $25 million in new or increased gifts and pledges by the end of 2025 in order to receive the $25 million matching gift.
TDO exceeded the goal which resulted as the largest fundraising campaign in company history.
“I do reflect on the trajectory of this legendary company and the success of our recent campaign, which raised $54.5 million for the endowment and general operating,” he said. “It was a game-changer for such a complex and expensive art form.”
And through his time, Derrer said, he discovered his own capacity for complex work and leadership growth. He feels his confidence and efficiency in managing community and board relations improved and, he said, “I’m proud of establishing trust with the audience so they feel comfortable taking risks on unfamiliar titles because they know the quality will be high.”
These are all qualities that will serve him well in Toronto.
But before that chapter, Derrer expresses gratitude toward the city he called home for almost a decade — as well as to the LGBTQ+ community. TDO has made concerted efforts to reach the community which he’s described as “super cool.”
“I think they’ve paid off and that it’s the start of something great. I’m so grateful to the Dallas community and being an openly gay man as a leader in the arts, I’m very aware of that significance.
“I’m so proud to be a member of the community which has been incredibly rewarding and for it to make me feel special too. That’s awesome,” he said.
As for any advice to his successor…
“Be aware that the Dallas audience has a discerning taste for good singing. Listen to the community’s feedback, and most importantly: be bold. Big plans are often met with big results here,” he said.
