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The Canadian Opera Company (COC) has renewed the contracts of Music Director Johannes Debus and Price Family Chorus Master Sandra Horst, extending their roles through the 2028/2029 season.
The renewal ensures continuity in the artistic leadership that has shaped the company’s productions over the past decade.
Johannes Debus, who has led the COC since 2009, is known for conducting major works such as Götterdämmerung, Eugene Onegin, Otello, and Salome, as well as the world premiere of Hadrian in 2018.
During the pandemic, he adapted to digital platforms, conducting online performances and hosting a video series that featured musicians from the COC Orchestra. His international career includes engagements at the Metropolitan Opera, Berlin Staatsoper, and Bayerische Staatsoper, along with appearances at leading festivals such as Tanglewood and Bregenz.
Debus is also a co-founder of the Biglake Festival in Ontario, which highlights diverse musical influences.
Sandra Horst, who has been the COC’s chorus master for more than 70 productions, brings extensive experience from roles at the Juilliard Opera Centre, Boston Lyric Opera, and other institutions.
She made her COC conducting debut with Il viaggio a Reims and currently serves as Director of Musical Studies for Opera at the University of Toronto.
Horst’s career also includes work as a frequent judge for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and involvement in initiatives like the National Opera Intensive summer program.
The renewed contracts come as the COC prepares for upcoming productions, including Faust and Wozzeck, in its 2024/2025 season.