US opera company shuts down

Maryland Lyric Opera is no more. The company, which served the Washington DC region since 2014, was founded and directed by Brad Clark, son of a construction billionaire. From his statement, and its his decision alone, it looks like they’re clean out of bricks.

I am writing to let you know that I have made the difficult decision to end the operations of Maryland Lyric Opera, effective immediately. I will always be enormously proud of all that we have achieved together in bringing more opera to the region. Since I founded MDLO in 2014, we have presented many memorable performances of opera — from the three fully staged productions at The Clarice in College Park to the four operas in our thrilling 2022-23 Season of Verdi at Strathmore — in addition to many concerts in venues all across the region. Plus, we have introduced thousands of local students to our beloved art form through our programs in local schools, and nurtured the careers of emerging artists with the MDLO Institute. I am especially proud of the fine work of our Orchestra and Chorus throughout our seasons together, and that we were able to attract so many star soloists and gifted designers to our stages. I am grateful to the work of our dedicated staff and generous donor family who have helped to make all of our pursuits possible. In addition, I am thankful for the audiences who came to our events and supported our mission. It has been a tremendous joy to share my passion for opera with so many other music lovers. Thank you for going on this journey with me, and I look forward to seeing you in the future.

Brad Clark, Founder and Artistic Director, Maryland Lyric Opera