James de Blasis Death, Obituary – As a result of the resignation of James de Blasis, who had been acting as the general director of Cincinnati Opera, we are in a state that cannot be adequately described as utter sorrow. He had been in this job for a considerable amount of time. By accepting the position of stage director at the Zoo Opera in 1968, Jim established the beginning of a relationship with the company that would continue for a cumulative total of 28 years. This collaboration would continue for the whole of Jim’s professional life.
It was in the year 1973 when he first gained leadership of the Cincinnati Opera, and he continued to serve in both the function of general director and creative director right up until the year 1996. He held the position of general director of the company right up until the year 1987, when he stepped down from that role. By putting on performances of works that were not very well-known, Jim was able to bring the company’s name to the notice of people all throughout the country. In addition to this, he broadened the scope of the performance schedule for the company
Such that it now includes productions during the spring and fall in addition to the productions that take place during the typical summer season. Chris Milligan, the General Director and Chief Executive Officer of The Harry Fath, reflected, “I have such fond memories of Jim’s productions: the 1989 ROMEO AND JULIET with tenor Richard Leech’s ringing high notes, the 1990 FAUST with bass-baritone James Morris as a thunderous Mephistopheles, and the thrilling 1995 ANDREA CHÉNIER with Anton Coppola conducting.”
All three of these productions took place between 1989 and 1990. The years 1989 and 1990 were busy years for production for all three of these events. Production for all three of these events was quite hectic during the years 1989 and 1990.