Longtime directors of Wichita Grand Opera announce retirement

Wichita Grand Opera’s president and CEO Parvan Bakardiev and founder and artistic director Margaret Ann Pent announced plans this week to retire at the beginning of 2019.

According to a news release, both Bakardiev and Pent will conclude 40-year careers in opera.

Pent, who will be 75 when she retires, founded the Wichita Grand Opera in November 2000. Bakardiev, who will be 73 when he retires, has been the company’s only president and CEO since its founding.

Edward Lada, who currently serves as music administrator for the opera, will assume the roles of general director and chief operating officer starting Feb. 1, 2019.

Lada has been with the opera since 2007.

Some of Bakardiev and Pent’s achievements during their roughly 18-year tenure with the Wichita Grand Opera have been the creation of the Opera on the Lake event at Bradley Fair, streaming full WGO performances to worldwide audiences through YouTube, and collaborating with stars like Joyce DiDonato, Samuel Ramey, Josh Groban and Celtic Woman.

The introduction of classical ballet performances to the Wichita Grand Opera season was also the work of Bakardiev and Pent.

Lada, the incoming director, has been groomed for the role, being mentored by Bakardiev in fundraising, marketing, finance, management, audience development, public relations, artistic administration and other areas.

“Mr. Bakardiev and Ms. Pent have provided invaluable guidance, and I’m honored by their confidence and support in me as I move into this expanded role of serving as WGO’s General Director,” Lada said in a news release.

This story was originally published February 3, 2017 at 4:07 PM with the headline "Longtime directors of Wichita Grand Opera announce retirement."