Dinner on March 20, 2026, also honors Opera Hall of Fame inductees and bestows National Opera Trustee Recognition Awards

OPERA America will give longtime President/CEO Marc A. Scorca a final curtain call at its 2026 OPERA America Salutes awards dinner. Members of the OPERA America family and entire opera industry are invited to acknowledge Scorca at the event, which will take place on Friday, March 20, 2026, at The Plaza Hotel in New York City.

Scorca, who has led the organization since 1990, guided the transformation of the American opera landscape through his vision and advocacy for the art form and the field. Under his leadership, OPERA America’s membership has expanded from 120 companies to a thriving global community of thousands of organizations and individuals, while serving as a beacon for collaboration, equity, and innovation across the field.

During Scorca’s tenure, OPERA America opened the National Opera Center in New York City, awarded more than $22 million in grants to artists and companies, created pathways for women and BIPOC creators, and launched professional development programs that have shaped a generation of opera leaders. A master convener and mentor, Scorca has strengthened governance, fostered international partnerships, and championed civic practice, leaving a legacy of connection, opportunity, and commitment that will benefit the art form for decades to come.

The OPERA America Salutes event will include cocktails, dinner, and musical performances by the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artists. Tickets, tables, and program tribute placements will be available at OPERA America Salutes starting in November. Proceeds from the event underwrite OPERA America’s professional development programs championed by Scorca, including the Leadership Intensive, New General Director Roundtables, and Mentorship Programs.

As previously announced, the OPERA America Salutes awards dinner also will feature the induction of the 2025 Opera Hall of Fame honorees and presentation of the National Opera Trustee Recognition Awards.

Opera Hall of Fame 2025 Inductees

• Donnie Ray Albert, baritone and teacher
• Mark Campbell, librettist and teacher
• Denyce Graves, mezzo-soprano and teacher
• Christopher Hahn, arts leader and administrator
• Susan F. and William C. Morris, philanthropists and advocates
• Bernard and Barbro Osher, philanthropists and advocates
• Francesca Zambello, arts administrator and director

National Opera Trustee Recognition Award Recipients

• Marc Chalifoux,* Against the Grain Theatre
• Jeffrey Cunard, Washington National Opera
• Janet Farrell, IN Series
• Erin Flannery, Experiments in Opera
• Liz Kathman Grubow, Cincinnati Opera
• Robert Milne,* Pacific Opera Victoria
• Mel Weingart, OPERA San Antonio

*Recipient of the Association for Opera in Canada’s Best in Governance Award

For more information, visit OPERA America Salutes or contact Membership@operaamerica.org.