EarRelevant Staff | 2 DEC 2025
ATLANTA, Georgia— The Atlanta Opera’s artistic and executive director, Tomer Zvulun, has been named one of this year’s recipients of the Georgia Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities, state officials announced Monday.
Gov. Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp recognized ten honorees in the program’s 14th year, highlighting individuals and organizations that have shaped Georgia’s cultural landscape through leadership, community impact, and long-term commitment to the arts.
Zvulun, who has led The Atlanta Opera since 2013, was cited for transforming the company into one of the nation’s major opera producers and for bringing it international attention through ambitious programming and innovation. Under his tenure, the company launched its own film studio, expanded its mainstage offerings, and expanded its statewide outreach. He is currently overseeing the first new U.S. staging of Wagner’s Ring cycle since the pandemic, a multi-year project that will conclude in 2026.
“Georgia is proud of our world-renowned arts and entertainment scene, which has supported our state’s thriving economy for decades,” Kemp said in a statement. “The talented individuals and organizations recognized this year have played a key role in those efforts.”
First Lady Marty Kemp added that this year’s recipients “provide inspiration and opportunity for creative expression for Georgians across our state.”
Atlanta Opera board chair John Haupert said Zvulun’s recognition reflects a decade of steady expansion that lifted the company from a vulnerable regional troupe to one of the ten largest opera companies in North America. The organization now presents close to 50 performances annually and its educational outreach reaches more than 100,000 students.
This year’s awardees include opera legend Sherrill Milnes, arts educator Andy Gaines, Indian classical dancer Sasikala Penumarthi, cultural leader Dennis Skelley, archivist Luciana Spracher, the Atlanta Drum Academy, the Okefenokee Heritage Center, the Suzi Bass Awards, and the Union County Historical Society.
Each honoree received a handcrafted wood sculpture by Fairburn artist Etienne Jackson.
The Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities are administered in partnership with Georgia Council for the Arts and Georgia Humanities. A full description of the 2025 recipients is available in the state’s online program.
Founded in 1979, The Atlanta Opera has gained national notice in recent years for its boundary-pushing productions and for creating an outdoor “pandemic season” in 2020–21—one of the only U.S. opera companies to mount a full slate of live performances during COVID-19. Its work has been featured by the Wall Street Journal, PBS NewsHour, and in a Harvard Business School case study.
The Atlanta Opera’s 2025-26 season continues with Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (March 14 – 22), Puccini’s Turandot (April 25 – May 3), and will culminate with Zvulun’s Ring cycle production of Götterdämmerung May 30 – June 7) at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. For more information and tickets, visit atlantaopera.org. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- The Atlanta Opera: atlantaopera.org
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