The 2007/2008 season will mark John DeMain’s 14th season with Madison Opera. In addition to his position as the Madison Opera Artistic Director, he serves as Artistic Director of Opera Pacific and Music Director of Madison Symphony Orchestra. He is also a sought-after guest conductor of orchestras and opera companies around the world.

On the concert stage, John DeMain has conducted the orchestras of Columbus, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, St. Louis and Seattle, the National Symphony, the Boston Pops, the Aspen Chamber Orchestra, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the London Sinfonietta, the Orchestra of Seville, and the Mittledeutscher Rundfunk Orchestra, among others.

He is a regular guest conductor of The Washington Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Michigan Opera Theater and New York City Opera. He has also led productions for Aspen Music Festival, State Opera of South Australia, Baltimore Opera, Cleveland Opera, Cincinnati Opera,, Glimmerglass Opera, Italy’s Teatro Regio Emilia, Juilliard Opera Center, Lake George Opera, Teatro Belles Artes of Mexico City, Nice Opera, Opera Omaha, Opera Theater of St. Louis, San Diego Opera, San Francisco Opera, and Seattle Opera.
During his distinguished 18-year tenure with Houston Grand Opera, Mr. DeMain led a history-making production of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, which he subsequently recorded for RCA, and won a Grammy Award, Tony Award, and France’s Grand Prix du Disque. The New York City Opera’s 2002 production of Porgy and Bess, conducted by John DeMain, was televised as part of the “Live from Lincoln Center” series and garnered an Emmy nomination.

Mr. DeMain holds an honorary doctorate in arts and letters from the University of Nebraska and Edgewood College. He resides in Madison with his wife, Barbara, and their daughter, Jennifer.

Maestro DeMain will conduct Madison Opera’s 2007/2008 season production of Copland’s The Tender Land.