Opera Conference 2017: Full Schedule

2:00pm CDT

Campaign Readiness: Planning and Preparing for a Large-Scale Fundraising Initiative

Limited Capacity seats available

Special initiatives such as commissioning a new opera, building an endowment or renovating a hall are exciting opportunities that can only be achieved with careful planning and thoughtful preparation. Is your organization ready to undertake a major campaign? Find out in this session. Elisabeth B. Galley and Linda Lipscomb of Arts Consulting Group will lead you through the markers of being campaign-ready and help position your development team and trustees for fundraising success. This session will share practical strategies for:

Testing the feasibility of your special initiative;

Developing customized cultivation plans and moves management pipeline for the effort;

Identifying and screening donors to support the cause, especially new prospective donors; and

Empowering board members and the nominating committee.

Speakers

Elisabeth Galley

Vice President, Arts Consulting Group

Elisabeth Galley has more than 30 years of experience as a fundraising and development professional for nonprofit arts and culture organizations. Ms. Galley rejoins Arts Consulting Group to open its Dallas office and expand its revenue enhancement and facility & program planning practice... Read More →

Linda Lipscomb

Associate Vice President, Arts Consulting Group

Linda Lipscomb joined ACG’s Dallas office in 2016, bringing nearly 30 years of experience in fundraising, marketing, and sales to her consulting and interim management work for the firm. As a consultant, she has expertise in facilitating major capital campaigns, maximizing annual... Read More →

Sponsors

Arts Consulting Group

ACG is the leading provider of hands-on interim management, executive search, revenue enhancement, facilities & program planning, and organizational development services for the arts and culture industry. ACG consultants are located in communities throughout North America to best... Read More →

Thursday May 4, 2017 2:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Majestic 1, 37th Floor

Seminar

Network Devo, Trustee

2:00pm CDT

How to Be an Ally

Limited Capacity seats available

An ally is someone who recognizes his/her own privilege relative to others and works to change societal injustices to create a more equitable environment for all. In this seminar, you will learn how to recognize your own implicit bias, build a common vocabulary for understanding equity issues, and learn how to identify instances of injustice in your community and within the opera field. Learn how to develop strategies for becoming an effective ally in your community and within your organization.

Speakers

Michelle Ramos

Executive Director, AlternateROOTS

Dr. Michelle Ramos brings a deep and incredibly robust diversity of experience to her new role as Executive Director of Alternate ROOTS. Her background includes most recently working in criminal justice reform as Project Director of the Vera Institute of Justice, philanthropic wo... Read More →

Thursday May 4, 2017 2:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Majestic 3, 37th Floor

Seminar

Network ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee
Learning Theme EDI

2:00pm CDT

Opera 101 for Administrators

Limited Capacity seats available

Opera fluency is an important component to a successful career in the industry. Learn how to hold your own, whether it is in conversation with donors or working with artistic departments. This session will provide strategies for studying the core repertoire, resources to become conversant across generations of opera singers and tools to understand key operatic conventions.

Speakers

Carol Reynolds

Professor, n/a

Professor Carol Reynolds is a uniquely talented and much sought-after public speaker for arts venues and general audiences. She combines her insights on music history, arts, and culture with her passion for arts education to create programs and curricula, inspire concert audiences... Read More →

Thursday May 4, 2017 2:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Majestic 2, 37th Floor

Seminar

Network Arts-Admin, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, Tech-Prod, Trustee, OVI

4:00pm CDT

NEA Consultations

Georgianna Paul, opera specialist at the National Endowment for the Arts, will be available by appointment to meet with general directors and their development leaders for individual consultations to discuss programs currently supported by the NEA or planned for a future NEA proposal. Visit http://go.operaamerica.org/2017NEAConsultations to sign up. Limited availability.

Speakers

Georgianna Paul

Opera Specialist | Performing Arts, National Endowment for the Arts

Sponsors

National Endowment for the Arts

Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local... Read More →

Thursday May 4, 2017 4:00pm - 5:20pm CDT
Executive Boardroom, 2nd Floor

Meeting

Network Devo

7:30pm CDT

Arjuna's Dilemma

Presented by The Dallas Opera

Experience an exotic and appealing soundscape that combines elements of both the East and West in this visually enhanced concert performance of Douglas Cuomo’s critically acclaimed opera about life’s biggest questions. Based on the ancient text of the Bhagavad Gita, the composer melds classical, jazz, chamber and Indian musical traditions to create a work of both sweeping grandeur and hushed intimacy.

Purchase tickets now >>

Thursday May 4, 2017 7:30pm - 8:40pm CDT
Winspear Opera House

Performance

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee

10:00pm CDT

Bus to Sheraton from Fort Worth Opera - Frontiers Showcase

Limited Capacity filling up

Transportation is complimentary. New Works Forum members must reserve a ticket for the bus in addition to a show ticket or we cannot guarantee you a seat.

Non-Forum members may ride the bus but must purchase Frontiers tickets directly from FWO in advance ($10; call FWOpera’s Customer Service team at 817.731.0726)

Thursday May 4, 2017 10:00pm - 11:00pm CDT
McDavid Studio at Bass Performance Hall

Performance

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee

9:00am CDT

Opening Session

Limited Capacity seats available

Opera Conference 2017 will kick off with opening remarks from Marc A. Scorca, president/CEO of OPERA America, along with warm welcomes from Keith Cerny, general director and CEO of The Dallas Opera, Rhonda Sweeney, president, Opera Volunteers International, and Ann Meier Baker, director of music and opera at the National Endowment for the Arts. Hear from artists who are shaping our art form through their cooperative work.

Speakers

Ann Meier Baker

Music & Opera Director, National Endowment for the Arts

Ann Meier Baker was appointed the director of Music & Opera at the National Endowment for the Arts in January 2015. She oversees the NEA’s grantmaking in music and opera, and manages the NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships. Previously, Baker served as president and CEO of Chorus America... Read More →

Mark Campbell

Librettist, Independent

2020 Premieres: EDWARD TULANE, A NATION OF OTHERS, A SWEET SILENCE IN CREMONA, STONE SOUPS; 2020 Productions: ELIZABETH CREE, THE (R)EVOLUTION OF STEVE JOBS, THE SHINING, SILENT NIGHT, AS ONE, THE OTHER ROOM, etc.

Keith Cerny

Kern Wildenthal General Director & CEO, The Dallas Opera

Keith Cerny’s career spans music, technology and business. He began studying piano at the age of 10, and made his debut two years later performing Beethoven’s first piano concerto with the Berkeley Youth Orchestra. He subsequently studied Music and Physics at the University of... Read More →

Jake Heggie

Composer, Bent Pen Music, Inc

Elaine J McCarthy

Projection Designer, Vermilion Border Productions

Ms. McCarthy's international career spans over 20 years in nearly every area of live performance. Her opera credits include Great Scott, Iolanta, La Wally/Everest, Tristan und Isolde, and Moby Dick with The Dallas Opera, Cold Mountain with The Santa Fe Opera, Mazeppa with The Metropolitan... Read More →

Timothy O'Leary

General Director, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Timothy O’Leary has been General Director of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis since 2008, heading a leadership team that includes OTSL Music Director Stephen Lord and Artistic Director James Robinson. Mr. O’Leary currently also serves as Chairman of the Board of OPERA America, the... Read More →

Nicole Paiement

Principal Guest Conductor, The Dallas Opera

Nicole Paiement (Opera Parallèle Artistic Director, Conductor, Founder) has gained an international reputation as a conductor of contemporary music and opera. Her numerous recordings include many world premiere works and she has toured extensively in the US and Asia. This past... Read More →

Kamala Sankaram

Composer, Mannes College of Music

Praised as “strikingly original” (NY Times), Kamala Sankaram moves freely between the worlds of experimental music, creative music, and contemporary opera. Known for pushing the boundaries of form and style, she has created work for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (as 2023 artist-in-residence... Read More →

Gene Scheer

Librettist, Self

Mr. Scheer’s work is noted for its scope and versatility. With the composer Jake Heggie, he has collaborated on many projects, including the critically acclaimed 2010 Dallas Opera world premiere, Moby-Dick, starring Ben Heppner as Captain Ahab; Three Decembers (Houston Grand Opera... Read More →

Marc A. Scorca

President/CEO, OPERA AMERICA

Marc A. Scorca joined OPERA America in 1990 as president and CEO. Under his leadership, the OPERA America membership has grown from 120 opera companies to nearly 2,500 organizations and individuals. The organization has also administered two landmark funding initiatives in support... Read More →

Yuval Sharon

Artistic Director, The Industry

Yuval Sharon has been creating an unconventional body of work exploring the interdisciplinary potential of opera. His productions have been described as “ingenious” (New York Times), “virtuosic” (Opernwelt), “dizzyingly spectacular” (New York Magazine), and “staggering... Read More →

Rhonda Sweeney

Past President/Nominating Chair, Opera Volunteers International

Rhonda Sweeney is Immediate Past President and Nominating Committee Chair of OPERA VOLUNTEERS INTERNATIONAL and is a former President and Lifetime Trustee of the HOUSTON GRAND OPERA GUILD. Rhonda is also a HOUSTON GRAND OPERA Trustee serving on 3 key committees related to fundraising... Read More →

Lidiya Yankovskaya

Music Director, Chicago Opera Theater

Interested in developing new work, nurturing emerging composers, exploring unusual repertoire. Ask me about Chicago Opera Theater's new Vanguard Initiative!

Friday May 5, 2017 9:00am - 10:15am CDT
Austin Ballroom 3, 2nd Floor

General Session, OVI

Network ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee

10:30am CDT

Partnership in Play: The Dallas Arts District

Limited Capacity seats available

Partnership among arts institutions is essential to a thriving, culturally rich community. The Dallas Arts District, as the largest contiguous urban arts district in the U.S., is a prime example of the power of partnership to elevate a city’s creative and educational life. Hear from Dallas’ arts leaders about how the partnership influences their organizational impact, while exploring benefits and realities of coordinated efforts for community development.

Moderators

Marc A. Scorca

President/CEO, OPERA AMERICA

Speakers

Agustín Arteaga

The Eugene McDermott Director, Dallas Museum of Art

Agustín Arteaga was named The Eugene McDermott Director of the Dallas Museum of Art in July 2016. Arteaga most recently served as director at the Museo Nacional de Arte (MUNAL) in Mexico City, one of Mexico’s largest and most prominent cultural institutions, presenting work from... Read More →

Keith Cerny

Kern Wildenthal General Director & CEO, The Dallas Opera

Doug Curtis

President & CEO, AT&T Performing Arts Center

Doug Curtis is the President & CEO of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, a nonprofit organization that operates and programs three premier performance venues and a 10-acre park in the Dallas Arts District. Since joining the Center in 2002, he also has held the positions of the Center’s... Read More →

Kevin Moriarty

Artistic Director, Dallas Theater Center

Kevin Moriarty is the artistic director of Dallas Theater Center, where his work as a director includes: It's a Bird ... It's a Plane ... It's Superman; The Who's Tommy; The Wiz; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Henry IV; The Tempest; Fat Pig; Next Fall; his original adaptation... Read More →

Jeremy Strick

Director, Nasher Sculpture Center

Jeremy Strick has been the Director of the Nasher Sculpture Center since March 2009. Mr. Strick oversees collections, exhibitions and operations at the 2.4-acre museum located in the heart of downtown Dallas’ Arts District. He has been responsible for the presentation of numerous... Read More →

Ann M. Williams

Founder and Artistic Advisor, Dallas Black Dance Theatre

ANN WILLIAMS founded Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) in 1976. Her primary focus was to have acompany of trained dancers serve as inspiration to boys and girls that had never seen a professionalAfrican American dance company. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, DBDT now serves as an... Read More →

Friday May 5, 2017 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Austin Ballroom 3, 2nd Floor

General Session, OVI

Network ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee
Learning Theme COLLAB

12:30pm CDT

NEA Consultations

Speakers

Georgianna Paul

Opera Specialist | Performing Arts, National Endowment for the Arts

Sponsors

National Endowment for the Arts

Friday May 5, 2017 12:30pm - 4:10pm CDT
Executive Boardroom, 2nd Floor

Meeting

Network Devo

1:30pm CDT

Network Roundtable: Development

Limited Capacity filling up

Network-specific sessions are the place for frank, open dialogue addressing issues facing professionals with similar roles in the field of opera. Open to Professional Company Member (PCM) staff only.

Sponsors

Robert Swaney Consulting Inc.

Robert Swaney Consulting, Inc. (RSC) is a national provider of contributed revenue growth strategies, fundraising direct mail programs, and executive searches for arts and cultural institutions. RSC coaches and partners with organizations so their fundraising programs become stronger... Read More →

Friday May 5, 2017 1:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Majestic 1, 37th Floor

Roundtable, PCM Only

Network Devo

3:30pm CDT

Composition in the Board Room, Too

Limited Capacity seats available

Working board? Fundraising board? Governing board? A healthy opera company relies on its trustees to be all three. But board members, company leaders and fundraising staff must unite in taking a strategic approach to recruit and engage effective trustees. OPERA America President/CEO Marc A. Scorca will lead this participatory session to discuss how to establish and maintain a healthy balance between passionate opera devotees and business leaders; between community spokesmen and philanthropic angels; and among other dimensions of economic, geographic and demographic diversity — all as part of a unified approach to strengthening companies.

Speakers

Marc A. Scorca

President/CEO, OPERA AMERICA

James Wright

Field Consultant, For-Profit Organization

After leading Vancouver Opera for 17 years James Wright retired from the company in June 2016.He currently sits on the Nature Conservancy of Canada BC board of directors and The TELUS Vancouver Community Board; he has just completed a two-year term on the Vancity Community Foundation... Read More →

Sponsors

Genovese Vanderhoof & Associates

Margaret Genovese and Dory Vanderhoof are management consultants in the arts with an unparalleled record of success in assisting their clients in executive search, effective organizational planning, capital campaign, successful facility development and dramatic improvement to contributed... Read More →

Robert Swaney Consulting Inc.

Schuler Shook

Sponsor: General Director sessions, Schuler Shook Theatre Planners | Lighting Designers

Schuler Shook is an internationally recognized theatre planning and consulting firm with extensive experience in opera facility planning. Our clients include Lyric Opera of Chicago, Sydney Opera House, Santa Fe Opera, Sarasota Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Seattle Opera, Portland Opera... Read More →

Friday May 5, 2017 3:30pm - 5:00pm CDT
Seminar Theater, 2nd Floor

Toolbox

Network Devo, GD, Trustee

5:30pm CDT

Host Company Welcome Reception

The Dallas Opera invites you to kick off your Opera Conference 2017 experience in style with the Host Company Welcome Reception. A ticket is included as part of your registration. Guest tickets ($45) are available for purchase.

Friday May 5, 2017 5:30pm - 7:00pm CDT
Nasher Sculpture Center

Meal Special Event

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee

7:30pm CDT

Everest

Presented by The Dallas Opera

A semi-staged performance — with projections — of Joby Talbot and Gene Scheer’s stunningly powerful and poignant masterpiece conducted by Music Director Emmanuel Villaume. This true-life tale of an ill-fated expedition to Mt. Everest features several stars from TDO’s 2015 world premiere, including Andrew Bidlack as Rob Hall and Kevin Burdette as Beck Weathers.

Purchase tickets now >>

Friday May 5, 2017 7:30pm - 9:00pm CDT
Winspear Opera House

Performance

Network ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, Tech-Prod, Trustee

7:30pm CDT

Carmen

Presented by Fort Worth Opera

Purchase tickets >>

Save 20% by using the code OA2017. Excludes value seats.

Friday May 5, 2017 7:30pm - 10:30pm CDT
Bass Hall

Performance

Network Arts-Admin, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, Tech-Prod, Trustee, OVI

9:30pm CDT

Under 35 Mixer

Limited Capacity filling up

The future of the art form is in the hands of today’s young leaders. Young opera professionals under the age of 35 are invited to meet one another and lay the groundwork for future collaboration. Gather for drinks and networking. Ticket purchase includes one drink from a special menu, nibbles and cash bar. Tickets ($25) may be purchased during the registration process or added to your completed registration through April 28.

Friday May 5, 2017 9:30pm - 11:00pm CDT
LARK on the Park

Special Event, Under 35 Mixer

Network ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, OVI, Tech-Prod, Trustee

9:00am CDT

Fundraising vs. Sales

Limited Capacity filling up

Fundraising and sales have much in common, and in other ways, they are worlds apart. It is logical that certain sales attributes would have crossover value for development. Hear how the staff at Houston Grand Opera has successfully employed proven sales techniques to increase their fundraising. Whether your company is large or small, you must solicit individual gifts. Learn practical sales tactics that can be a boon to your fundraising efforts.

Speakers

Greg Robertson

Chief Advancement Officer, Houston Grand Opera

A Houston native and alumnus of the University of Houston, Greg Robertson is the ChiefPhilanthropy Officer of Houston Grand Opera (HGO) and member of HGO’s ExecutiveLeadership Group.HGO is one of America’s most accomplished and distinguished performing artsorganizations. Greg... Read More →

Sponsors

Robert Swaney Consulting Inc.

Saturday May 6, 2017 9:00am - 10:30am CDT
Seminar Theater, 2nd Floor

Think Tank, OVI

Network Devo, OVI

9:30am CDT

NEA Consultations

Speakers

Georgianna Paul

Opera Specialist | Performing Arts, National Endowment for the Arts

Sponsors

National Endowment for the Arts

Saturday May 6, 2017 9:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Executive Boardroom, 2nd Floor

Meeting

Network Devo

11:00am CDT

Development Consulting for Sustainable Results

Limited Capacity seats available

It’s a consulting horror story: The fundraising consultant you didn’t need delivers a work plan you can never execute with a price tag you can’t afford! Knowing when to call in a development consultant, how to pick the right one for your organization and what you’ll need for a productive working relationship is crucial for the success of any consulting partnership. In this session, hear from leading arts fundraising consultants on how they work with clients to build strong and sustainable development operations.

Moderators

Mark Saville

Director of Development, Fort Worth Opera Association

Mark Saville currently serves as the Director of Development for the Fort Worth Opera, previously holding the positions of Senior Development Consultant and Director of Development for Arizona Opera. During his tenure at Arizona Opera, Saville successfully doubled the organization’s... Read More →

Speakers

Linda Lipscomb

Associate Vice President, Arts Consulting Group

Marilyn Shapiro

Trustee, Arts Consultant, LA Opera

Marilyn Shapiro’s career spans 45 years of public service, including more than 30 years in senior management positions with the Metropolitan Opera and Los Angeles Opera. Ms. Shapiro, retired from the Metropolitan Opera as Executive Director/External Affairs in 2000, having spent... Read More →

Bob Swaney

Founder and CEO, Robert Swaney Consulting Inc.

A highly sought-after authority on fundraising growth for arts and cultural organizations, Bob Swaney has developed systems and solutions recognized now as industry standards for excellence. With his nearly 30-year career in arts fundraising, Bob's hallmark lies in helping organizations... Read More →

Sponsors

Robert Swaney Consulting Inc.

Saturday May 6, 2017 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
City View 1, 4th Floor

Session

Network Devo

12:30pm CDT

Women’s Opera Network: Update and Discussion

Limited Capacity filling up

Over the past year, the Women’s Opera Network has increased awareness about gender equity in the opera field. Building on the successful implementation of ideas from last year’s conference, the network continues to convene stakeholders (of all genders) who actively promote the advancement of talented women in opera. Bring ideas for next steps.

Moderators

Laura Lee Everett

Chief Programs Officer, OPERA America

The Chief Programs Officer for OPERA America, Laura Lee Everett has more than two decades of experience in opera production management, collaborating with some of the most renowned artists in contemporary opera. She has produced the Opera America Songbook (50 commissioned songs for... Read More →

Speakers

Ana De Archuleta

President & CEO, ADA Artist Management

Ana De Archuleta has quickly established herself as one of the most sought after managers in the operatic field. Representing a thriving roster of vocalists, conductors, and directors worldwide, ADA Artists can be seen at the Metropolitan Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, English National... Read More →

Deborah Sandler

General Director, Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Deborah Sandler currently serves as General Director and CEO at Lyric Opera of Kansas City. One of a handful of women to lead opera companies, Ms. Sandler previously served as General Director of Opera Festival of New Jersey, in Princeton, NJ for ten years and then as General Director... Read More →

Jeri Sedlar

Member, OPERA America Board of Overseers

Jeri Sedlar is an author, motivational speaker, and has earned the title of America’s “rewiring®” expert. She is a master of retirement life planning and has been doing research on personal growth and transition for over 20 years. She has interviewed hundreds of professionals... Read More →

Saturday May 6, 2017 12:30pm - 1:15pm CDT
Austin Ballroom 1, 2nd Floor

Spotlight

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, LI, Mktg, NWF, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee

1:30pm CDT

30 Ideas in 90 Minutes: How to Get More Money from Individuals

Limited Capacity filling up

When your annual fund starts to slump, your gala loses its edge or your general director gives you a seemingly impossible goal, it might only take a fresh idea to get your fundraising machine moving. In this fast-paced, round-robin session, get ready to jot down great ideas as leading opera fundraisers offer bite-size strategies to help you engage your individual donors.

Moderators

Dan Cooperman

Director of Development and Membership, OPERA America

Dan Cooperman, director of development and membership, joined OPERA America in 2015. He previously served as director of development for BalletX, a contemporary ballet company in Philadelphia, from 2012-2015, during which time the company's budget grew by 40%.He graduated from Tufts... Read More →

Speakers

Michelle Miller Burns

Vice President of Development, Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Michelle Miller Burns is Vice President of Development at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. In this position she oversees the fundraising program and serves on the senior management team. She provides strategic direction and develops annual operating plans for the Annual Fund as... Read More →

Cynthia Calabrese

Director of Development, Dallas Museum of Art

Cynthia Calabrese came to the Dallas Museum of Art in mid-December, 2014 with more than 25 years of fundraising and philanthropic giving experience, primarily at visual and performing arts institutions, including nine years of prior service as Development Director at the Dallas Theater... Read More →

Gae Whitener

Director of Development, The Dallas Opera

With a strong background in communications and marketing, Gae Whitener joined the Dallas Opera in 2004 as Grants Manager and Corporate Associate. Her energies soon moved beyond grant writing to handle special projects including OPERAtion HQ, the campaign to construct TDO’s administrative... Read More →

Brandy Moriah Wicker

Senior Director of Development, Dallas Black Dance Theater

Brandy Moriah Wicker, Sr. Director of Development, received a BA in English with a minor in Astronomy and a BA in Theatre & Dance with a concentration in Choreography from the University of Texas at Austin. At DBDT, she directs the fundraising strategy and oversees the development... Read More →

Sponsors

Robert Swaney Consulting Inc.

Saturday May 6, 2017 1:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Seminar Theater, 2nd Floor

Toolbox, OVI

Network Devo, OVI

2:00pm CDT

The Magic Piano

Presented by The Dallas Opera

This animation adventure produced in 2011 is the tale of two children in Warsaw who discover an old piano abandoned on a junk heap. It becomes their magical ride through the skies above Europe, as the kids dodge hot air balloons in France, fierce storms and darkening skies over London.

Purchase tickets now >>

Saturday May 6, 2017 2:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Winspear Opera House

Performance

Network ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, OVI, Tech-Prod, Trustee

3:30pm CDT

Creating Change: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Limited Capacity seats available

Responsible individual leaders in any sector make choices that create more equitable and inclusive organizations. For opera leaders, this means developing personal awareness about power, privilege and structural inequities to make informed programming, hiring and community engagement choices. With humble curiosity, the opera field gathers in this session to hear presentations from experts in other arts disciplines and sectors who have made strides to improve equity within organizations and their communities. Following these lightning talks, opera practitioners who have demonstrated leadership in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) respond and give voice to the steps that the opera field can take.

Moderators

Roberto Bedoya

Cultural Affairs Manager (and Minister of Belonging on USDAC Cabinet), City of Oakland

Roberto Bedoya is Cultural Affairs Manager for the City of Oakland, CA, overseeing the Cultural Affairs Unit, housed in the City's Department of Economic and Workforce Development. He previously served as executive director of the Tucson Pima Arts Council, overseeing grant making... Read More →

Speakers

Zenetta Drew

Executive Director, Dallas Black Dance Theatre

Ms. Drew has been with Dallas Black Dance Theatre since 1987 and has seen the company grow dramatically over her tenure from an annual operating budget of $175,000 to over $4.9 million. The company’s yearly services have grown from 30 to over 600 with national and international... Read More →

Brandon Gryde

Director of Government Affairs, OPERA America

Brandon represents the opera field in front of Congress, the White House and Federal agencies, working on a range of issues that include support for the NEA and Arts in Education programs, tax policy for nonprofits, and international exchanges issues. He previously served as Communications... Read More →

Cayenne Harris

Vice President, Lyric Unlimited, Lyric Opera of Chicago

Cayenne Harris was appointed the Director of Lyric Unlimited for Lyric Opera of Chicago in July 2012. As the lead administrator for Lyric's community engagement and audience development initiatives, Ms. Harris has played an essential role in the creation of Lyric Unlimited – its... Read More →

Anh Le

Assistant Director of Marketing, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Anh is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL), overseeing all direct mail and print collateral in addition to providing key strategic support for audience building and community outreach efforts. In addition to her duties at OTSL, Anh has spoken... Read More →

David Lomeli

Casting Manager & Hart Institute for Women Conduct, The Dallas Opera

David Lomeli joined The Dallas Opera in July of 2014 as Artistic Coordinator. In June of 2015 he was promoted to Associate Artistic Administrator. In April of 2016, David was promoted to Casting and Hart Institute for Women Conductors Manage where he assisted Music Director Emmanuel... Read More →

Keryl McCord

Founder and CEO, The Equity Quotient

Ms. McCord is founder and CEO of EQ, The Equity Quotient, a national training and organizational development firm dedicated to supporting non profits interested in becoming more just and equitable community partners, with equity, diversity, and inclusion as outcomes of their work... Read More →

Kevin Moriarty

Artistic Director, Dallas Theater Center

L. Michelle Smith

Director, AT&T Global Marketing Organization

L. Michelle Smith is a consumer insights expert who is helping one of the world's most respected Fortune 10 companies prepare for our nation's new reality-- an unwired, digitally-driven, multicultural and global society. Michelle leads Citizenship & Sustainability efforts for the... Read More →

Saturday May 6, 2017 3:30pm - 5:00pm CDT
Austin Ballroom 3, 2nd Floor

General Session, OVI

Network ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee
Learning Theme EDI
Live Stream Live Stream

5:00pm CDT

Exhibitor Happy Hour

Join us for a celebration of the Business Members and organizations that provide essential services to the field.

Saturday May 6, 2017 5:00pm - 6:30pm CDT
Atrium, 2nd Floor

Special Event, OVI

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee

6:30pm CDT

Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase

Limited Capacity seats available

See production presentations from the most promising young director-designer teams and meet the artists who created them. The Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase is a biennial competition that identifies emerging director-designer teams, each of which has developed a production proposal from a diverse list of operas. Come see the artists who will advance opera’s multimedia richness in the years ahead. Made possible by a generous grant from the Tobin Theatre Arts Fund.

Featuring:
Glory Denied (Tom Cipullo)

Ashley Tata, director*
Stephan Moravski, scenic designer
Liene Dobraja, costume designer
Abigail Hoke-Brady, lighting designer*
Brad Peterson, projection and video designer

Der fliegende Holländer (Richard Wagner)

Shannon Knox, director and scenographer*
Becky Heisler, lighting designer*
Gabrielle Heerschap, technical director*
Micaela Tobin, sound designer and composer*

Der fliegende Holländer (Richard Wagner)

Luke Harlan, director*
Alexander Woodward, scenic designer*
Fabian Fidel Aguilar, costume designer*
Andrew F. Griffin, lighting designer
Rasean Davonte Johnson, projection designer*

*Attending conference

Moderators

Mary Birnbaum

Stage Director, Self employed

Nominated for Best Newcomer of 2015 at the International Opera Awards in London, Mary Birnbaum has been singled out as a young stage director to watch. Her recent production of The Rape of Lucretia at Juilliard garnered a rave from Anthony Tommasini at The New York Times who... Read More →

Speakers

Luke Harlan

Der fliegende Holländer, director, Director Designer Showcase Winner 2017

Luke Harlan is an opera and theater director living in New York. Luke holds an MFA from the Yale School of Drama, where he directed Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth and Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, as well as well as multiple world premiere plays. Luke was also the... Read More →

Shannon Knox

Der fliegende Holländer, director and scenographer, Director Designer Showcase Winner 2017

Shannon Knox (Director, Scenic and Costume Design) is a designer, director born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is drawn to explorations of the super-text in old opera, imagining new productions as transmogrified still-life machines, by manipulations of audience association... Read More →

Ashley Tata

Ashley Tata (director) works principally in the fields of new opera and multi-media performance. Recently: Kate Soper’s Ipsa Dixit (EMPAC and Dixon Place); the multi-media pop-up series “Out of Bounds” (PROTOTYPE Festival); Molière’s Don Juan (Fisher Center, Bard College... Read More →

Sponsors

The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund

The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund generously supports OPERA America's biennial Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase. Launched in 2008, the program provides emerging designers and directors with a national platform to introduce their work to industry leaders.

Saturday May 6, 2017 6:30pm - 8:00pm CDT
Austin Ballroom 3, 2nd Floor

Special Event

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee
Live Stream Live Stream

9:00am CDT

Granting for Individuals

Limited Capacity seats available

Selling your art is hard! In this session, individual artists will learn ways to improve their grant applications. Topics include strengthening artist statements, selecting work samples and creating rich support materials. Find out what to invest in for putting forward the best reflection of artistic work. Open to all.

Speakers

Claire Gohorel

Grantmaking Manager, OPERA America

With a professional background in museum fundraising operations and academic degrees in anthropology, I bring my passion for cultural expression to OPERA America. As Grantmaking Manager, I support the administration of grants across all of OPERA America's grant programs.

Noah Stern Weber

Director of Development, Beth Morrison Projects

Noah is the artistic services manager at OPERA America. With a background in producing, non-profit administration and philanthropy, he brings a unique set of skills to the OPERA America team. He co-direct the artistic granting programs at OPERA America, including the New Works Forum... Read More →

Sunday May 7, 2017 9:00am - 10:15am CDT
City View 6, 4th Floor

Session

Network Artists, Devo, Edu, GD, Mktg, OVI, Trustee

9:00am CDT

Culturally Sensitive Producing

Limited Capacity full
Adding this to your schedule will put you on the waitlist.

As stewards of the art form, opera leaders have the opportunity to foster important discussions and build understanding through the works they produce. With equity, diversity and inclusion in mind, this session explores issues around cultural sensitivity and the production of new works and traditional repertoire, including season planning, casting and community engagement strategies. At every stage of producing, there are opportunities for important internal and community considerations. Join a conversation and hear examples from the field.

Moderators

Leah D. Barto

Director of Learning and Leadership, OPERA America

Leah D. Barto is an arts and culture professional specializing in leadership development, arts education, and strategic impact. As director of learning and leadership at OPERA America, she oversees field learning at the annual conference and is the lead administrator for OPERA America’s... Read More →

Speakers

Michael Bolton

Vice President, Community Initiatives, Opera Philadelphia

Randall Eng

Resident Composer, New York University

I am an opera composer. I also teach at New York University's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, a 2-year MFA program training composers and librettists to create opera and musical theatre. At NYU, I run the Tisch Opera Lab, in conjunction with American Opera Projects and director... Read More →

Cayenne Harris

Vice President, Lyric Unlimited, Lyric Opera of Chicago

Anh Le

Assistant Director of Marketing, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

David Lomeli

Casting Manager & Hart Institute for Women Conduct, The Dallas Opera

Nkeiru Okoye

Composer, HARRIET TUBMAN Opera

www.nkeiruokoye.com

Sean Waugh

Artistic Planning Manager, San Francisco Opera

Sean Waugh joined San Francisco Opera in May 2010 and currently serves as artistic planning manager, assisting with casting, season planning, and overseeing artistic operations for the company. Sean has helped lead a number of strategic initiatives at SFO including the formation of... Read More →

Sunday May 7, 2017 9:00am - 10:15am CDT
Seminar Theater, 2nd Floor

Think Tank

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee
Learning Theme EDI, REP

9:00am CDT

Succeeding Together: Marketing and Development

Limited Capacity filling up

It is essential that marketing and development departments work together in achieving revenue goals and creating a seamless patron experience. In this session, learn from marketing and development representatives of companies large and small about how to establish a culture of shared goals, implement systems for productive communication and adapt patron-centered strategies that drive revenue.

Moderators

Joe Gfaller

Director of Marketing & Public Relations, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Joe Gfaller has served as Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Opera Theatre since February, 2011. In that time, he has managed some of the company's most successful sales campaigns, including record-setting campaign for the world premiere of Terence Blanchard and Michael... Read More →

Speakers

Jason Hardy

Director of Development, Opera Memphis

Jason Hardy currently serves as the Director of Development at Opera Memphis. He joined the company in 2016 after serving as the Managing Director at OperaDelaware. Prior to this work, Hardy had an 18-year career as a leading operatic bass with a complimentary career providing data... Read More →

Rebecca Kirk

Manager of Education Programs, Boston Lyric Opera

Rebecca Ann S. Kirk, M.Ed. has worked in the overlapping fields of creative youth development, arts education, and community engagement for nearly fifteen years. She has managed youth programs and school partnerships for Boston Lyric Opera for three seasons and has previously worked... Read More →

David Walker

Managing Director, Palm Beach Opera

Responsible for all company contributed and earned income goals, as well as all expenses used to achieve them; Oversee Fundraising, Marketing, Box Office, and Education & Community Engagement departments; Design, implement, and manage company marketing, promotion, and fundraising... Read More →

Sponsors

Robert Swaney Consulting Inc.

Sunday May 7, 2017 9:00am - 10:15am CDT
Majestic 3, 37th Floor

Think Tank

Network Devo, Mktg

10:45am CDT

Network Roundtable: Development

Limited Capacity filling up

Network-specific sessions are the place for frank, open dialogue addressing issues facing professionals with similar roles in the field of opera. Open to Professional Company Member (PCM) staff only.

Sponsors

Robert Swaney Consulting Inc.

Sunday May 7, 2017 10:45am - 12:00pm CDT
City View 1, 4th Floor

Roundtable, PCM Only

Network Devo

12:30pm CDT

Spotlight: Design Thinking at San Francisco Opera

Limited Capacity filling up

How does a major opera company approach change and innovation? In 2016, San Francisco Opera launched SF Opera Lab, a new R&D programming arm that was created through the help of design thinking. Discover how San Francisco Opera applied design-thinking methodology in the development of SF Opera Lab and how the process has transformed the company inside and out. Learn how you and your company can utilize design thinking as an instigator of change.

Speakers

Sean Waugh

Artistic Planning Manager, San Francisco Opera

Sunday May 7, 2017 12:30pm - 1:15pm CDT
Seminar Theater, 2nd Floor

Spotlight

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, STF, Tech-Prod

2:00pm CDT

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna

Presented by Fort Worth Opera

Purchase tickets >>

Save 20% by using the code OA2017. Excludes value seats.

Sunday May 7, 2017 2:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Bass Hall

Performance

Network ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee

2:00pm CDT

Norma

Presented by The Dallas Opera

In this John Conklin production from Cincinnati Opera, set during the Roman occupation of Gaul in 50 B.C., a passionate love triangle in the midst of a deepening culture clash leads to dangerous consequences. A Druid high priestess, Norma, is in the throes of despair after learning her lover, a Roman proconsul with whom she has two children, has been unfaithful.

Purchase tickets now >>

Save 20% by using the code OA 20.

Sunday May 7, 2017 2:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Winspear Opera House

Performance

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee

7:00pm CDT

Network Dinner: Development

Enjoy a night out while networking with colleagues and enjoying some of the best food and drink Dallas has to offer. Dinners will be “Dutch Treat,” paid for on separate bills. Advance registration required.

Buses will run continually from 6:45 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Meet in the Sheraton Dallas Hotel lobby. Bring your ticket with you.

Sunday May 7, 2017 7:00pm - 10:00pm CDT
Casa Rubia, Trinity Groves

Meal, PCM Only

Network Devo

9:00am CDT

Arts Policy and Effective Advocacy

Limited Capacity seats available

Under any new administration, the political landscape changes and so do the ways arts communities advocate. How will the current political climate impact the issues that affect opera and the performing arts? Hear how OPERA America is representing the field and learn how you can be an effective opera advocate.

Speakers

Brandon Gryde

Director of Government Affairs, OPERA America

Monday May 8, 2017 9:00am - 10:30am CDT
Majestic 3, 37th Floor

Toolbox

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee

9:00am CDT

Data to Assess and Advance Your Organization

Limited Capacity seats available

Feedback Survey

To make informed decisions, comparative data and the knowledge to interpret it are crucial to opera companies. In this session, Zannie Voss, director of SMU’s National Center for Arts Research (NCAR), will share findings from the NCAR KIPI (Key Intangible Performance Indicator), which allows organizations to compare their data to others nationwide on a variety of financial and operating performance indices. Following an exploration of general findings related to opera companies and their unique performance characteristics, attendees will learn how to assess and advance their own organization’s health, using data from the NCAR KIPI.

Speakers

Zannie Voss

Director, National Center for Arts Research

Dr. Zannie Voss is Director of the National Center for Arts Research, and Chair and Professor of Arts Management in SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts and Cox School of Business. Previously, she was a Professor at Duke University and Producing Director of Theater Previews at Duke... Read More →

Sponsors

The Wallace Foundation

Wallace Foundation

Based in New York City, The Wallace Foundation is an independent national philanthropy dedicated to fostering improvements in learning and enrichment for disadvantaged children and the vitality of the arts for everyone. It seeks to catalyze broad impact by supporting the development... Read More →

Monday May 8, 2017 9:00am - 10:30am CDT
Seminar Theater, 2nd Floor

Toolbox

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, OVI, Tech-Prod, Trustee
Learning Theme LEAD

11:00am CDT

Opera’s Paradox: Mission and Business Model

Limited Capacity filling up

“Opera is for all” is a mantra that permeates the field’s messaging about performances and community engagement efforts. Providing access to opera aligns with the nonprofit aspiration to serve the general public and better communities. Yet many practices at opera organizations suggest that “opera is for a select few.” Much of the revenue that supports an opera company’s existence is a result of time-tested efforts that offer exclusive benefits to the highest-level donors. Hear from a range of opera practitioners about how they grapple with this paradox and what strategies companies are employing to harmonize this intrinsic tension.

Moderators

Marc A. Scorca

President/CEO, OPERA AMERICA

Speakers

Carrie Ellen Adamian

Director of Marketing and Ticket Sales, The Dallas Opera

Carrie Ellen Adamian’s passion and love of the performing arts began with dancing and singing at the age of 4 years. Her lifelong dedication to the art form carried her to the Broadway stage where she performed in productions that included Tommy Tune’s Grand Hotel and Grease! After... Read More →

Carol Lazier

Trustee, San Diego Opera

Carol Lazier led the effort to avoid closure of San Diego Opera in 2014 and assumed the position of Board President. Lazier is the co-founder, lead underwriter, and Board President of Ex;plore Solutions, a nonprofit which provides best-fit college and career information to San Diego... Read More →

Andrew Morgan

Director of Development, San Francisco Opera

Andrew Morgan has served in various roles in San Francisco Opera’s development team since 2008, including multiple giving officer positions as well as Director of Individual and Leadership Giving. In his current position as Deputy Director of Development, Andrew oversees a team... Read More →

Timothy O'Leary

General Director, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Richard Russell

Executive Director, Sarasota Opera

Richard Russell is Executive Director of Sarasota Opera. A former singer, he performed with the company for four seasons beginning in 1989 as an apprentice artist, studio artist, and principal. After transitioning out of professional performing he joined Citigroup’s Emerging Markets... Read More →

Eva Toia

Associate Director of Development and Planned Giving, The Dallas Opera

Eva James Toia has been a fundraising professional in the arts since 1998, when she joined her alma mater, University of North Carolina School of the Arts as Director of Alumni, Career Services and Outreach. In 2009, she returned to her hometown of Dallas, where she served as Director... Read More →

Monday May 8, 2017 11:00am - 12:30pm CDT
Austin Ballroom 1, 2nd Floor

Think Tank

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee
Learning Theme LEAD

12:45pm CDT

Closing Session and Lunch

Limited Capacity filling up

Bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green, whose life was chronicled in the recent book Sing for Your Life, will share about his experiences in overcoming obstacles to become an acclaimed opera singer. Timothy O’Leary, board chairman of OPERA America, will offer reflections on Opera Conference 2017 and will extend an invitation to next year’s annual gathering in Saint Louis. Attendees will join O’Leary and Marc A. Scorca in thanking The Dallas Opera for their service to the field.
Add this session to your schedule online by Friday, May 5 to reserve lunch.

Speakers

Ryan Speedo Green

bass-baritone

Praised by Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times for his “robust voice” and Anne Midgette of the Washington Post as an artist “fully ready for a big career,” Bass-Baritone Ryan Speedo Green is quickly establishing himself as an artist of international demand at the world’s... Read More →

Timothy O'Leary

General Director, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Marc A. Scorca

President/CEO, OPERA AMERICA

Monday May 8, 2017 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT
Austin Ballroom, 2nd Floor

General Session Meal

Network Artists, ARTS-ADMIN, Devo, Edu, Fin, GD, Mktg, NWF, OVI, STF, Tech-Prod, Trustee
Live Stream Live Stream