Karen Tiller

Executive Director

Karen Tiller, Executive Director of Hawaii Opera Theatre, relocated to Honolulu for this position in 2003, bringing a host of credentials to her role. She brought national experience from serving as a board member and frequent panelist for Opera America and an On-Site Evaluator for the National Endowment for the Arts. She also chaired the Theatre Panel for the Tennessee Arts Commission and was a Member of the Arts & Industry Panel for the State of Mississippi.

In addition, Karen's career background includes positions as: Managing Director of Music-Theatre Group in New York; General Director of Opera Festival of New Jersey; and two positions at Opera Memphis - Director of Production and Executive Director. She began her career at Virginia Opera as the Artistic Administrator. In 2005, she was named one of the top "40 under 40" executives by Pacific Business News. Karen is a graduate of the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA.

In addition to managing operations at HOT, Karen is an accomplished stage director. She has directed several critically acclaimed productions including Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice and Burning Bright at Opera Festival New Jersey; Carmen; Tosca, Madama Butterfly; Werther; Gianni Schicchi/Buoso’s Ghost; The Turn of the Screw; and Tales of Hoffmann, Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci at Opera Memphis.

She made her HOT directorial debut in 2005 with Susannah and directed HOT's Tosca in 2006. She also stage directed Samson et Dalila for Opera Memphis that year. In 2007, directed HOT’s Madama Butterfly and South Pacific.

Karen can be reached at (808) 596-7372 extension 11 or at k_tiller@hawaiiopera.org.