The year 2007 marks the 400th anniversary of L'Orfeo, the earliest opera in the standard repertoire. Glass's Orph_e, which is based on Jean Cocteau's film, premiered at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge in 2003; according to Glimmerglass, it has not been staged in the United States since.

MacLeod came to Glimmerglass Opera in September 2005 after four years as executive director of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. Previously, he directed the City of London Festival and served as managing director of John Eliot Gardiner's Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, and Orchestre R_volutionnaire et Romantique.

Kellogg, who led Glimmerglass as general director from 1979 to 1996 and artistic director since 1996, announced last fall that he would retire at the end of the 2006 season. He turned Glimmerglass into a high-profile laboratory for new works and new productions, many of which were shared with New York City Opera, where Kellogg is general and artistic director (he retires from that post in 2007).

While MacLeod has no experience with an opera company, Glimmerglass emphasized in a press release that he had worked with such leading singers as Barbara Bonney, Ian Bostridge, Rodney Gilfrey, and Bryn Terfel while leading the City of London Festival and working for Gardiner.

"Michael has a remarkable knowledge of the operatic repertoire and possesses a deep understanding of both the American and European opera traditions," Glimmerglass board president Peter Duchin said. "We are certain that he will use his vast experience and expertise in artistic programming to lead Glimmerglass Opera into the next stage of its artistic life."