Lotfi Mansouri(1929-2013)

American director and administrator of Iranian birth who graduated from University of California at Los Angeles in 1953 with a degree in psychology, then began directing operas. Served as resident stage director for the Zürich Opera (1960-1965) and the Geneva Opera (1965-1975). In 1976 he was named General Director of the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto. In 1988 became General Director of the San Francisco Opera.