After a year of vacancy, the general director position at the Dallas Opera is finally filled. Who is the suitable person for the position? Who has the qualifications, the experience and the recommendations to be named general director at the company? Well, that would be George Steel, the executive director of the Miller Theatre at Columbia University.

Karen Stone resigned from the highest post at the Dallas Opera last fall, after having occupied the position for four years. The Dallas Opera Board has been seeking for the perfect person to replace Stone for a year and finally the search is over, Steel being named general director, as the company announced on Tuesday.

George Steel is an impresario, composer and conductor from New York, who had been working at the Miller Theatre since 1997. As executive director, he had the opportunity to innovate, mixing contemporary and early music concerts, ballet and opera. Steel’s innovative ideas were recognized with national awards.

He received the Trailblazer Award from the American Music Center in 2003 and the 2003 ASCAP Concert Music Award and the Chamber Music America Award in 2002 and 2005. An impressive achievement, noted by the New York Magazine was raising Miller Theatre’s annual fundraiser from $120,000 to $1.35 million.

As a conductor, he also outstanding accomplishments, founding the period-instrument Gotham City Baroque Orchestra, the Renaissance music Vox Vocal Ensemble and the contemporary-music ensemble Gotham City Orchestra and Sinfonietta. Steel is 41 years old and has graduated from Yale University and studied at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago.

Steel enjoys the full confidence of the staff from the Dallas Opera, despite his lack of experience with the opera world. “George Steel has the experience and perspective necessary to lead a world-class company into a world-class opera house; produce outstanding entertainment; connect with a dynamic, diverse and rapidly expanding community; encourage new patrons; and ensure the development of both current and future donors,” stated Dallas Opera Board Chairman Jay Marshall.

Steel will begin work at the Dallas Opera on October 1. There he will supervise 450 employees and a budget of $12 million per year; however, his salary hasn’t been disclosed.

The new headquarters of the opera company will move at the Winspear Opera House at the  Dallas Center for the Performing Arts starting with its 2009 fall opening. Also, Columbia’s Miller Theatre is preparing for its 20th anniversary. Until now no successor was announced at the Miller Theatre.