Barbara Lynne Jamison (She/Her) Email & Phone Number

BIOBarbara Lynne Jamison became the sixth General Director in Kentucky Opera’s history in 2018. A visionary builder by nature, she has sparked multiple initiatives, including new commissions, emerging artist opportunities, community engagement programs, and innovative productions with societal relevance and meaningful resonance for people not traditionally served by opera.By fostering artists and creative expression, and by inviting and centering the voices of the community, her work has activated deep, new, and sustainable philanthropic support, earned revenue sources, multi-year partnerships, and longitudinal growth. This approach has quickly resulted in increased diversity on stage and in the audience and has successfully demonstrated the power of opera as a vehicle for inspiring beauty, truth, and reconciliation in the community. A grateful product of many notable mentors, Jamison infuses her work with building the next generation of artists, technicians, and opera leadership. As a Leadership Kentucky (‘20), American Express Women in Music Leadership (‘19), and OPERA America Leadership Intensive (‘14) alumna, she continues to be involved in nurturing the next generation of leaders as a mentor, and as a speaker and panelist at local and national conventions and forums.Since her appointment as Kentucky Opera’s chief executive and artistic officer, she has introduced innovative business solutions, a 5-year strategic plan, annual balanced and surplus budgets, a growing endowment, and a strong administrative team.In 2021, she led the campaign to activate the Kentucky Opera Center for Cultural Health, Kentucky Opera’s new civic home, to expand the company’s mission. The Opera Center officially opened to the public in December 2022 with its first chamber opera performances and youth programs.Jamison currently serves on the OPERA America Board of Directors, Trustee Council, Government Affairs working group, and Learning & Leadership Council and co-leads the New General Directors Roundtable. She serves her local community as a Juneteenth Jubilee Commissioner and Chair of the Arts & Culture Alliance, with additional involvement in many other initiatives.Prior to her appointment to Kentucky Opera, Jamison served on the senior leadership teams at Seattle Opera and the Metropolitan Opera Guild, and was an accomplished soprano, conductor, and educator.