Women's Opera Network
OPERA America’s Women’s Opera Network (WON) is an action group of opera professionals from all sectors of the field dedicated to advancing gender equity in the industry.
Women represent more than half of the national population, yet the percentage of women in leadership roles within the field of opera is comparatively small. Founded in 2015, the Women’s Opera Network works to:
- Increase awareness of and discussion about gender parity in the field.
- Create action plans to promote the advancement of talented women.
- Become a source of support for emerging female professionals.
Get Involved
Participation in the Women’s Opera Network is open to anyone affiliated with the opera industry and supportive of the Network’s goals. You can get involved by requesting to join the Facebook group or listserv.
WON Facebook Group WON Listserv
For additional information, contact us at Membership@operaamerica.org or 646.699.5248.
OPERA America Programs
Pairing the field’s most promising female professionals with opera leaders to support their career goals.
Discovery Grants provide support for the development of new operas by women directly to individual composers who identify as women, advancing the...
Supports the development of new operas by women, advancing the important objective of increasing diversity across the field.
Women's Opera Network Steering Committee
Stacy Brightman
Executive Director, The Ebell of Los Angeles
Veronica Chapman-Smith
Vice President of Community Initiatives, Opera Philadelphia
Christine Goerke
Associate Artistic Director, Detroit Opera
Piper Gunnarson
General Director and CEO, Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Cheryl Hickman, Co-Chair
General and Artistic Director, Opera on the Avalon
Shawn Marie Jeffrey
Vice President | Classical & Creatives, UIA Talent
Kristine McIntyre
Stage Director
Katie Preissner
Managing Director, Artistic & Production, Opera San Jose
Deborah Sandler Kemper, Founding Chair and Special Advisor
General Director and CEO, Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Diana Solomon-Glover
Composer/Librettist
Krysty Swann
Mezzo Soprano
