Dallas Opera Selects Four Women for Conducting Institute

The Dallas Opera has announced its 2026/2027 participants for the Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors.

Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Opera

Wooden conductor stand and baton on a stage, symbolizing professional classical music training. — The Dallas Opera has selected four women, including Sara Corriga and Mariana Corichi Gómez, to join its 2026/2027 Hart Institute for Women Conductors. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Dallas Opera has selected Sara Corriga, Mariana Corichi Gómez, Chi-Yuan Lin, and Rafaela Seywald for its prestigious conducting program. These four participants were chosen from a competitive pool of 83 applicants.

Why it matters

The Dallas Opera launched this program to address the persistent gender imbalance on opera podiums by providing training and development to new generations of women conductors.

The Institute has trained more than 50 conductors since it launched in 2015. In 2025, the program received an International Opera Award in the Equal Opportunities and Impact category.

The players

The Dallas Opera

This major regional arts organization produces professional opera performances and manages long-term professional development programs for musicians.

Claire Lewis

She serves as the 2026/2027 Martha R. and Preston A. Peak Fellow within the conducting program.

The details

The program features two rounds of adjudication before participants embark on a curriculum that includes virtual sessions and a 10-day in-person intensive in Dallas. The intensive focuses on rehearsals and master sessions to develop professional skills.

The Hart Institute began its operations in 2015.
The program received an International Opera Award in 2025.
Virtual sessions for the cohort start on November 9, 2026.
Participants begin a 10-day in-person intensive in January 2027.
The HIWC Showcase Concert is scheduled for January 30, 2027.

Industry Dynamics

The program reflects a broader movement within the performing arts to dismantle historical barriers and increase representation on the podium. By institutionalizing mentorship, the Dallas Opera aligns with global efforts to provide sustainable career pathways for underrepresented artists.

Audience members can witness the results of this training program at the HIWC Showcase Concert, which will take place on January 30, 2027. Tickets and venue information for events at the Winspear Opera House are managed directly through the company's ticketing office.

The takeaway

This program provides a clear pipeline for emerging women conductors to gain professional experience through intensive rehearsal cycles. Aspiring conductors may monitor future application cycles to understand the evolving criteria for entry into this specialized training.