David DiChiera (/ˌdiːkaɪˈɛərə/ DEE-ky-AIR-ə;[1] April 8, 1935 – September 18, 2018) was an American composer and founding general director of Michigan Opera Theatre.
When he received a Master's degree in composition at UCLA, he was selected to be a Fulbright scholar for studies in Italy where he conducted extensive research on unpublished manuscripts of eighteenth century opera.
From 1963 to 1965, he also held the post of assistant dean for Continuing Education in the Arts at Oakland University and was thereafter elected Chairman of the Department of Music.
During his career, DiChiera has served as a trustee for the National Institute of Music Theatre and as a board member of the American Arts Alliance.
DiChiera chaired the second annual conference of the International Association of Lyric Theatre, convened in Verona, Italy, and was twice elected vice president of that organization.
[6] His Four Sonnets (1965), to verses by Edna St. Vincent Millay composed for soprano and piano, premiered in 1978 at the Kennedy Center in Washington to critical acclaim.
DiChiera delivered the commencement speech at the University of Michigan's graduation ceremony in 1998 and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree.