Anthony Roth Costanzo was hired Thursday as general director and president of Opera Philadelphia and will continue his career as a leading countertenor while taking over an ambitious company dealing with post-pandemic economic challenges.

"Even though I’m an opera singer, it’s my job to ensure the health of this art form I love,” he said in an interview this week. “And the other side of the coin is that I’m frustrated by opera and its inability to always innovate in the ways I think can help it grow. So, it’s something I have been building a skill set for for a long time, and I have been waiting for an opportunity that feels right.”