Portland Opera Names Damien Geter Music Director

After nearly four years in the role on an interim basis, Damien Geter has officially been named music director of Portland Opera.

“Appointing Damien as music director is not just a celebration of his extraordinary talent—it’s an investment in the future of opera,” said Sue Dixon, general director of Portland Opera, in a press release, which called the appointment a “game-changer” for the company.

Geter is a singer, composer and conductor. He conducted the sold-out production of The Shining for Portland Opera this spring. In his own compositions, Geter often focuses on social justice issues in the Black diaspora. His major new opera, Loving v. Virginia , is based on the true story of Mildred and Richard Loving and the landmark 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision that allowed interracia