About David DiChiera

From 1979 to 1983, Dr. DiChiera served as president of OPERA America. Under his leadership, the national organization established a major initiative in opera education programs throughout the country. In the area of public information, he encouraged OPERA America to focus on strategies to help generate a positive image and interest in opera for a greater portion of the population. During this time, DiChiera spearheaded a major project entitled Opera for the Eighties and Beyond, which developed bold, innovative methods of encouraging and funding new American musical theater works. The success of this project led to the development of another OPERA America project, the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund/Opera for a New America Program, of which DiChiera served as chairman for two years. This project encouraged companies to reach previously under-addressed segments of the population, and has been instrumental in securing funding for this multimillion dollar project.