Meet Our Founders
Rafael Sámano
Rafael Samano is an attorney at law and the founding partner of Samano Abogados, S.C. in Mexico City.
He was the founder of Fundacion Viva in support of education, health, culture and the arts in Mexico, and he established the San Miguel MetOpera Trust, along with Joan Mitchell, its president.
Joan M. Mitchell
Joan Mitchell retired to Mexico after a distinguished career in the United States as a language professor, higher education administrator and fundraising executive. She served as board chair of an historic theater in central Pennsylvania and as fundraising consultant to arts and education institutions both in the United States and in San Miguel de Allende, MX where she lives.
Daniel Wiley
Daniel Wiley retired to San Miguel de Allende, MX after a distinguished career as a chemical engineer, both in the chemical industry in the United States and in a consulting capacity to major segments of American industry with the United States Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. He has provided leadership to music and arts institutions in Texas and Pennsylvania through board service to them.
Michael Sylvester
Honorary Founder
Master teacher and singer, Michael Sylvester is widely considered one of the finest lyric tenors of his generation. He has sung leading roles in the major opera houses of the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House, La Scala, the Vienna State Opera and many more.