DuPage Opera Theatre performs in the 793-seat main stage of the Arts Center. The Arts Center opened on October 10, 1986, and 12 years later was renamed the Harold D. McAninch Arts Center. The MAC, as it is commonly referred to, is home to three resident professional ensembles: Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, DuPage Opera Theatre, and New Philharmonic, as well as the Gahlberg Gallery, a space for visual art exhibition.
Harold Bauer was the founding artistic director and conductor of the company. Kirk Muspratt is the current artistic director and music director, a position that he has held since July 2004. In December 2006, Muspratt was named "Chicagoan of the Year" in classical music by John von Rhein and the staff of the Chicago Tribune.[citation needed] In his first four seasons, productions at the DuPage Opera Theatre featured Le nozze di Figaro, Il barbiere di Siviglia, La bohème, Faust, Otello and Tosca. In 2008, Muspratt stated that by tackling such renowned operas as Otello, "we are showcasing DuPage Opera's growth and new vision".[This quote needs a citation]
