Opera Carolina Announces Expanded Leadership Team

Opera Carolina, the leading professional opera company in the Carolinas, today announces the hiring of Claudio Ferri as Director of Development and Nandi Cheathem as Director of Finance. These two accomplished professionals will join the leadership team for the recently announced 2022/23 season featuring Tosca, Porgy and Bess, and La traviata.

With thirty years of experience in fundraising, general management, artist mentorship, and marketing strategy in the live entertainment field, CLAUDIO FERRI will join the Opera Carolina leadership team as Director of Development on June 1, 2022. His extensive career includes General Manager of "Royal International Artists" and Director of the International Lyric Academy in Italy, for which he secured major sponsorships from BVLGARI, Daimler-Chrysler, Mercedes Benz, Renault, Turkish Airline, Alitalia, Lamborghini, and Ferrari.

Atlanta native NANDI CHEATHEM joins the Opera Carolina team as Director of Finance after a long association with the mentorship program Profound Gentlemen. A graduate of Charlotte's Central Piedmont Community College, Nandi brings experience in general accounting, financial controls, and reporting, replacing long-time CFO Vanessa Thorne.

"The hiring of Claudio and Nandi signals that Opera Carolina will continue to be a preeminent force in the arts as we emerge from the pandemic," said James Meena, Opera Carolina's long-time Artistic Director. "We are honored to have individuals of their caliber, expertise, and skill join our already stellar team, and are excited to see what the next year holds."

Founded in 1948 by the Charlotte Music Club, Opera Carolina is the largest professional opera company in the Carolinas, annually serving more than 65,000 people in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Northern Georgia, with an Endowment fund of $3.2mil, and an annual budget of $3 mil.

The mission of Opera Carolina is to serve the community by enriching audiences of all ages and backgrounds, engaging and advancing the careers of artists, and embracing and reflecting cultural diversity.