Opera Project Columbus

09/04/2026

Opera Project Columbus is proud to welcome our new Artistic Director, Dr. Belinda Andrews-Smith!

Belinda brings over 30 years of directing experience from both the professional and academic worlds, having recently served as the Director of Opera at Purdue University Fort Wayne! Prior to that, Belinda was appointed the Director of Musical Theatre at Tulane University, in New Orleans. She has also held previous positions at both Denison University and at Ohio University, in Athens.

Dr. Andrews-Smith has directed nearly 50 productions of operas, operettas, and musicals. In 2020 and in 2024, she won The American Prize - The Charles Nelson Reilly Award for outstanding stage direction. Her productions of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Iolanthe, Spring Awakening, Chicago, and The Pirates of Penzance, have also garnered national awards from The American Prize Competition.
As a college professor, Dr. Andrews-Smith has proven to be an innovative voice teacher. Her extensive knowledge of musical theater and classical singing styles enhances the experiences of her actors both on stage and in the classroom. Former students of Dr. Andrews-Smith have won awards at state and national musical theatre singing competitions, worked as commercial music recording artists, and performed on and off Broadway.

Belinda has also presented research on Musical Theatre Voice and Mentoring in the Voice Professions at national conferences for the National Association of Teachers of Singing and the Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance. A classically-trained soprano herself, Dr. Andrews-Smith is an accomplished performer with a résumé full of opera roles, concert performances, and recitals.

We are extremely excited to welcome Belinda into our OPC family, and look forward to thriving under her vision and leadership!

05/18/2026

* A Note From OPC Board

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the entire Opera Project Columbus family, I
want to share that our Executive Director, Eric Gibson, will be leaving Ohio and Opera
Project Columbus after accepting an exciting new opportunity at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.

While we are certainly saddened to see him go, we are deeply grateful for the passion,
creativity, and dedication he brought to our organization during his time with us. Eric
played an important role in helping Opera Project Columbus continue to grow artistically and strengthen our connection with audiences and supporters throughout our community. We are proud to support his next chapter and wish him tremendous success in this new position.

Opera Project Columbus remains strong, energized, and fully committed to our mission of nurturing emerging talent and reinventing the opera experience to Columbus audiences. We are excited about the future of our organization and the ambitious programming and community engagement initiatives ahead.

Transitions are a natural part of any growing arts organization, and this moment also provides an opportunity for continued evolution and renewed momentum. Our Board and leadership team are actively working to ensure a smooth transition as we prepare for new and exciting opportunities.

We are incredibly thankful for the continued support of our patrons, donors, artists, volunteers, and community partners. Your belief in Opera Project Columbus is what makes our work possible, and we look forward to sharing the next chapter with all of you.

Sincerely,
Eleana Drakatos
President
Opera Project Columbus

04/14/2026

Apparently a lot of people care about opera and ballet! Do you have your tickets to see OPC in June? We are happy to show you why these two beloved art forms are stronger than ever!

Cheers, Timmy! 🩰

Sir Alex Beard, Chief Executive of the Royal Ballet and Opera offered a cheerful thank-you to Hollywood star Timothée Chalamet for unexpectedly helping boost ticket sales.

Beard told The Times that Chalamet’s earlier comments suggesting that “no-one cares” about ballet or opera anymore sparked a wave of public interest instead. "Our post got two-and-a-half million engagements and half a million shares, just on Instagram. And our ticket sales got an immediate boost. So cheers, Timmy!"

03/30/2026

It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of our dear friend, Allan (“Al”) Wadell.

Al was a cherished and devoted supporter of Opera Project Columbus for many years, serving with distinction as a board member and, until very recently, as our treasurer. Alongside his husband, Allen, he graciously opened his home and heart to our organization, hosting memorable gatherings at The Garden Manor. An evening in their company was something truly special—warm, welcoming, and unforgettable.

Al’s commitment to Opera Project Columbus was unwavering. We are deeply grateful for his years of friendship, his dedicated service on our board, and his profound love for this art form.

His generosity extended far beyond our organization; Al gave his time and energy to many throughout the community. He took great pride in the causes he supported and had a remarkable ability to connect people, bringing others together in meaningful ways.

More than anything, Al was a friend—to us and to all who had the privilege of knowing him. To know Al was to be fortunate, and we count ourselves among the lucky ones to have been supported and uplifted by such an extraordinary man.

He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.