Ousted Opera Carolina leader: Staff, board spread ‘unrelenting’ gossip about me
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- James Meena defended his reputation against “rumors” in a video on social media.
- Opera Carolina replaced Meena amid budget-driven succession planning and hires.
- Multiple lawsuits and leadership disputes have raised governance and financial concerns.
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Oct. 8, 2025, with comments from James Meena.
In the latest offstage turmoil at Opera Carolina, its former longtime leader has posted an unusual and emotional video online, where he defended his reputation against what he called “unrelenting” gossip and innuendo.
James Meena, former principal conductor and artistic director for Opera Carolina, said he took to Facebook to refute “unsubstantiated rumors” by people at the opera company that he stole money from the group and that artists weren’t paid because of that.
“Gossip and innuendo are something I normally ignore. But when the intention is to tarnish my reputation as an artist and administrator, and when it has been unrelenting for more than six months, I feel I have to defend myself,” Meena said in a two-minute video posted Sept. 26 on Facebook.
“I have been told that some at Opera Carolina have said that I stole money from the company and that artists of the ‘“La Bohème’ cast were not paid on time because of this theft,” Meena said. “This is simply untrue.”
In an interview with The Charlotte Observer on Wednesday, Meena said that artists, opera patrons and friends had been telling him since around January that they were hearing negative comments about him and his time with the opera. Those comments were made by Opera Carolina staff and board members, “which was really disappointing,” he said.
This is the latest episode to roil the opera, one of the Charlotte region’s oldest cultural institutions and the largest opera company in the Carolinas. Last month, Opera Carolina announced plans for its upcoming 76th season.
Early this year, the opera’s board ousted Meena before his contract expired in June 2026. He had been with the organization for 25 years. In February, Opera Carolina named a new artistic director and deputy general director.
And a former production director sued the nonprofit last December, claiming he was fired without cause.
Neither an Opera Carolina spokeswoman nor Opera Carolina general director Shanté Williams responded to a request for comment Tuesday, Oct. 7, about Meena’s video.
Meena’s video about Opera Carolina ‘rumors’
Next to the Facebook video, which had been viewed over 2,500 times, Meena wrote that it was “A heartfelt message to my closest friends and colleagues.”
Here are the facts, according to Meena in his video:
- His contract ran through June 30, 2026, with an annual salary of $150,000 plus benefits. To help Opera Carolina financially, Meena voluntarily reduced his compensation to $120,000 per year, “the same amount I had been paid since the 2008 financial crisis.”
- When Opera Carolina’s board replaced Meena before his contract ended, Meena said he relinquished the balance of his contracted compensation. He agreed to receive his standard conducting fee of $15,000 for “Carmen” and $15,000 for ““La Bohème,” his final appearance with the company, last April.
- It was also agreed Meena would receive $18,756 in board-approved expense reimbursements.
“These facts are documented in my severance agreement,” Meena said in the video.
At the end of the video, Meena said there were “many other instances of hearsay and gossip spread about me,” but he didn’t want to address them now. Rather, the maestro said, he wanted to say, “I served this community in Opera Carolina as general director and principal conductor for 25 years, and I’m proud of that service.”
Meena received an outpouring of support in Facebook comments about the video. This was a typical response: “We love and miss you! I stand by you as a friend, a colleague, a fan of your immense talent and leadership,” Carl Tanner said.
“Your legacy cannot and won’t be tarnished. Please stay strong and continue to shine,” Tatyana Thulien said.
Meena disappointed by rumors, begins new chapter
Meena told the Observer that he at first tried to ignore the rumors swirling around him.
“The thing that really pushed me over the edge,” he said, “was this comment that was made to artists that I had stolen money, which prevented them from paying artists on time. It was blatantly false.”
Meena took a few weeks to think about how he should respond before deciding on the social media video. Meena supports Opera Carolina and hopes its leaders will help prevent and squash such rumors about him.
“I felt I needed a way to answer without it being defaming and disparaging,” Meena said. ”I just thought, I can’t let that one go because my relationship with artists is one of the more important relationships I have. I haven’t retired.”
Meena opened a studio program to help develop local performance artists’ careers, similar to the residency program he started at Opera Carolina. Meena will also be guest conducting, including in April with North Carolina Opera in Raleigh. “I’d much rather spend my time being a musician and focusing on the art,” Meena said.
What happened between Meena and Opera Carolina?
In July 2024, Meena saw his role change when Charlotte native Shanté Williams was hired as general director to run the business operations. Meena remained artistic director and principal conductor.
The process to replace Meena as artistic director and principal conductor also began in July 2024, Opera Carolina previously told The Charlotte Observer. “Due to budget constraints, the decision was made to promote from within for what would be a newly-designed role that would focus more on musical development,” Opera Carolina said.
At the time, Opera Carolina’s total revenue was $2.9 million, down from $3.7 million the prior year, according to its 2023 tax document.
In February, Opera Carolina announced that Meena would be replaced by Claudio Ferri as artistic director. Ferri had been named deputy general director of the opera last year.
Meena left the company to “pursue new opportunities,” an announcement from Meena and Opera Carolina board chair Carol Kendrick said March 6 on his social media pages.
On May 1, Maestro Stefano Vignati, Ferri’s husband, began his appointment replacing Meena as music director and principal conductor. Meena had hired Vignati in 2022.
Meena detailed his new work plans in August on his Facebook page, saying he is “accepting a small number of artists” to work with at his private studio.
“After two months of a well-deserved rest, I am returning to my work as a vocal coach and conductor,” he said. “The adventure continues.”
Former production director sues Opera Carolina
Meena’s ouster isn’t the only leadership change that sparked controversy for Opera Carolina.
In December, Michael Baumgarten filed a lawsuit in Mecklenburg County Court, claiming Williams failed to uphold his employment contract as director of production when he was fired without cause last fall. Baumgarten is seeking in excess of $25,000 from Opera Carolina and Williams.
In March, Williams filed a counterclaim, accusing Baumgarten of tarnishing her reputation as Opera Carolina’s leader.
The case is in mediation, court documents show. Should mediation fail, a court date has been set for January, documents show.
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This story was originally published October 8, 2025 at 5:29 AM.
