Marquita Lister, Artistic Director

Marquita Lister has earned worldwide critical praise for the past two decades. Critics all over the world rave about soprano Marquita Lister's poignant, precise and intelligent technique. With an impressive repertoire that includes the masterworks of Verdi, Strauss, Puccini and Gershwin, her courage and a determination to dare the utmost in performance are her hallmark.

Ms. Lister has sung with major opera companies such as the San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Montreal Opera, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Grosses Festspielhaus in Salzburg, La Scala, Semperoper Dresden, Staatstheater Stuttgart, Arena di Verona, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Opera Bastille Paris, Michigan Opera Theater, to name a few. She has performed with world renowned artists, including Placido Domngo, Justino Diaz, Frederica Von Stade, Simon Estes, Sherrill Milnes and Marcello Giordani.

Ms. Lister received her Bachelor of Music degree from New England Conservatory of Music, where she graduated with distinction. She received her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Oklahoma City University. She is the Coordinator of the Vocal Studies Program and Director of Opera at Morgan State University, Vice President and a board member of the MD/DC branch of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Inc. (NATS), and a lifetime member of Sigma Alpha Iota.

Wayne Sanders, Music Director Emeritus

Wayne Sanders is co-founder of Opera Ebony and has served as its Musical Director since the company’s inception in 1973. Under his direction, Opera Ebony has gained domestic and international prominence. 

As a coach/accompanist, Mr. Sanders has performed for televised Opera Ebony concerts worldwide including, acclaimed music festivals as the Spoleto Festival in Italy, Savonlinna Festival in Finland, venues such as The Kennedy Center (Washington D.C.), Carnegie Hall (New York City) with international superstars as Jessye Norman, Florence Quivar, Kathleen Battle, George Shirley, William Brown, Hilda Harris, Jorma Hynnenin, Benjamin Matthews and Jubilant Sykes.

For his contribution to the arts and humanities, he has been awarded numerous Honors within the United States and Europe; including Austria, Italy, Russia, Estonia and Germany. In Finland's largest newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, critic Olavi Kanko wrote, "He will be remembered as one of the great figures in the history of vocal music." 

With special emphasis on works by women and people of color, Mr. Sanders has co-produced and served as musical director for several world premieres. A brief listing includes; Perfect Harmony by Heikki Sarmanto (Finlandia Records), The Outcast by composer Noa Ain, The Meetin' by Pamela Baskin-Watson, recent new opera/musical works of Leo Edwards’ Harriet Tubman, and touring musical review, The Colors of Love. 

Eldric Bashful, General Director

Eldric Bashful was appointed to General Director in early 2021. An operatic tenor, Mr. Bashful holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Louisiana State University, Masters of Music from Arizona State University and post-graduate (non matriculated) with University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Artistically he has been seen on the opera, concert and musical theater stages throughout North America and Europe. His professional singing career started in his home city where he made his opera debut with New Orleans Opera, Nashville Opera, Arizona Opera and other companies in Florida, New York and Kansas City, Missouri and a founding soloist of Opera Creole of New Orleans.

He first appeared with Opera Ebony in the early 2000’s and maintained an association since. Internationally, he has appeared in concert with Australian Soprano Angela Denning in Abbruzo and Cortona, Italy and seen on stages throughout Germany, Spain, Switzerland, France and Austria. More recently Mr. Bashful appeared on Good Morning America and sang with international Soprano, Pretty Yende and community opera project in New York City, The Mile Long Opera by David Long, Anne Carson and Claudia Rankine.

Mr. Bashful also brings a depth of experience from the Corporate Financial Industry as a Limited Broker with American Century Investors, as well as Administrative positions with J.P. Morgan Family Wealth Management, CAI Cheuvreaux, a French Brokerage firm here in New York City, AG Edwards and is currently General Manager of TESSA Restaurant in New York City.