Stefanos Koroneos is the Artistic and General Director of Teatro Grattacielo, one of New York City's most distinctive and adventurous opera organizations. Since assuming leadership in 2020 — following two years with the company as artistic administrator and performer — he has led a sweeping transformation of Teatro's mission, scale, and community impact.
Under his direction, Teatro Grattacielo has grown from a single annual performance to four productions and ten performances per year, expanded its reach to over 10,000 New Yorkers annually, and transitioned from a deficit organization to one with a sustained operating surplus. These achievements reflect not only artistic ambition but a deep commitment to building institutions that are financially resilient and community-rooted.
Koroneos approaches opera as a living, expandable art form — one that must speak to contemporary audiences while honoring its traditions. He has championed the commissioning and production of new American works, including world premieres by Daniel Asia, Joseph Summer, Joshua Daniel Nichols, and Nicolas Flagello, and has secured a commission for the 2027 LA28 Olympics. Simultaneously, he reimagines canonical works with fresh theatrical and visual language, integrating video design, projection art, dance, and poetry into productions that challenge what opera can be.
This vision extends beyond the stage. Koroneos founded Creative Tableaux, Teatro's tuition-free educational program serving NYC youth ages 13–22 through paid internships in stagecraft, costume design, multimedia, and visual art. He established Opera at Gotham Park, a free civic programming series beneath the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge that uses opera to foster dialogue around issues of climate change and civil rights. Through Officina Grattacielo, he has built an ever-expanding constellation of interdisciplinary collaborators — visual artists, filmmakers, poets, and designers — who bring genuine creative depth to every production and educational program.
A passionate advocate for ethical arts employment, Koroneos classifies all participating artists — singers, directors, designers, orchestra, and chorus — as W-2 employees, setting a standard for fair labor practices that is rare in the opera sector.
An internationally recognized opera director and baritone, he has worked with the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, and the Bolshoi Theater, and has collaborated with Franco Zeffirelli, Moisés Kaufman, and Richard Bonynge. He is fluent in Italian, German, English, Spanish, and Greek.
To check out his directorial work, visit his website: https://stefanoskoroneos.com/
