Hangen served as PORTopera's Artistic Director until 2002; his successor, Dona D. Vaughn, has held that position ever since.
The company made its home at Portland's State Theater until moving to Merrill Auditorium in 1997.
Besides Hangen, who before founding the company had led the Portland and Omaha Symphony Orchestras, conductors who have worked with PORTopera include guests Giovanni Reggioli and Stephen Lord and present conductor Robert Moody.
Among singers who have performed with the company are New Englanders Mary Dunleavy and Kate Aldrich; the latter, who appeared in the title role of Bizet's Carmen in 2005, was the first Maine native to fill a principal role in one of the company's major productions.
The Young Artists have presented two rarities to punctuate a list of otherwise predominantly standard repertoire works: Bizet's Dr.