ROBERT HEUER

Robert M. Heuer is the General Director & CEO of Florida Grand Opera (FGO).  His opera career began in Detroit as the Founding Managing Director of Michigan Opera Theatre.  He joined Florida Grand Opera as Director of Production in 1979, became Assistant General Director in 1983 and transitioned to General Director in 1985.  As General Director, Mr. Heuer led the effort to merge the Greater Miami Opera and The Opera Guild Inc. of Ft. Lauderdale, creating Florida Grand Opera in June 1994.

During his 27 years as General Director, FGO has mounted 130 productions, of which, 33 operas were new to South Florida audiences.  Among these productions are Richard Strauss’ Salome and Ariadne auf Naxos; Britten’s The Turn of the Screw and Paul Bunyon; Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea; Handel’s Giulio Cesare; Janacek’s Kátya Kabanová; Marc Blitzstein’s Regina; Bellini’s La sonnambula; David DiChiera’s Cyrano; the American premieres of Rossini’s Bianca e Falliero and Franchetti’s Cristoforo Colombo; and the world premieres of Robert Ward’s Minutes till Midnight and David Carlson’s Anna Karenina.

Under Mr. Heuer leadership, FGO has developed one the most important young artist programs in the country with the purpose of providing a bridge for singers from the educational to the professional arena – the Young Artist Studio.  Among his lasting contributions to the community was his tireless leadership and work to realize a dream of a real opera house for Miami – the Ziff Ballet Opera House at the new Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

RAMON TEBAR

Maestro Ramon Tebar was appointed Music Director of Florida Grand Opera on June 1, 2011, becoming the first Spanish conductor to simultaneously lead an American opera company and an American symphony. As such, he provides an artistic vision, watching over the musical integrity and performance level of the orchestra, chorus and singers while working with General Manager and CEO Bob Heuer on artistic planning.

Prior to his appointment, he conducted two widely successful productions with Florida Grand Opera in 2010 - Lucia di Lammermoor and later Turandot, which earned him FGO’s 2010 Henry C. Clark Conductor of the Year Award. That same year, he was appointed Music Director for Palm Beach Symphony, a title which he still holds today. Working with the Palm Beach Opera since 2005 and Cincinnati Opera since 2008, he has participated in more than 30 productions and conducted Madame Butterfly, La Boheme and L’Italiana in Algeri. This year, Maestro Tebar will conduct Puccini’s La rondine for FGO and then lead a new production of Daniel Catán’s opera Florencia en el Amazonas for Denver’s Opera Colorado.

In addition to his resident work, Maestro Tebar has an active touring schedule that has lead him to conduct in some of the most prestigious theaters around the world, from Mexico City’s Palacio de Bellas Artes to Teatro Regio di Torino in Italy, as well as worked with renowned voices, including Montserrat Caballe, Renata Scotto, Mariella Devia, Teresa Berganza and Ben Heppner.