Live webcast from the Opera America Conference – Creative Resurgence

Jun 11, 2012 by admin

Ever wonder how an opera gets to the stage? Long before the singers, designers and technical staff move into the theater, the general directors, administrative staff and other “behind the behind the scenes” folks get serious about the creative resurgence in opera today.

A wave of creativity is sweeping the opera field as economic challenges and social change compel a rethinking of conventions. By combining rich traditions with inventive energy, opera is responding to new opportunities with flexibility and agility. Innovative artistic and administrative practices are re-envisioning the art form and increasing opera’s impact in the larger cultural community. Participate in this creative resurgence at Opera Conference 2012 in Philadelphia, June 13–16.

Watch the following live conference sessions:
Thu Jun 14th, 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm – In Conversation with Michael Kaiser
As president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and a long-time strategy consultant, Michael Kaiser has a unique perspective on aspects of leadership, governance, mergers and transformations in the arts world. He shares his insights on our field’s creative resurgence during this conversation with OPERA America President/CEO Marc A. Scorca.

Thu Jun 14th, 3:15 pm – 4:00 pm – Panel Discussion: Choice and Change David Devan Allen Freedman Keith Cerny Esther Nelson Douglas McLennan Marc A. Scorca
Creative approaches to dealing with economic challenges and social change come from dynamic opera company leadership, good governance processes and tough choices. Hear from industry leaders on the decisions they have made and what strategies they employ to manage transition and risk.

Fri Jun 15th, 9:00 am – 10:30 am The Real Work: Innovation and Resilience in a New Era for the Arts (General Session)
Richard Evans, Marc A. Scorca
Compelling leadership is important to an organization’s success, but in order to have long-term financial stability and ensure the future of this dynamic art form, opera companies also have to strengthen their adaptive capacities. Doing so requires that we shift our organizational assumptions and have the courage to pursue new pathways to community impact. Richard Evans, president of EmcArts and a national expert on organizational innovation, proposes that if we embrace adaptive change as a permanent part of our core competencies, we can generate an abundance of opportunities for artistic experience, create more intimacy with our audiences and build sustainable public value through opera.

Sat Jun 16th, 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm Closing Session Lunch and Closing Keynote Remarks from Jennifer Higdon
James W. Wright, David Devan, Anthony Freud, Frayda Lindemann, Jennifer Higdon, Marc A. Scorca Composer Jennifer Higdon delivers the closing keynote address and reminds us all of the reason for attending the opera conference and committing to a career in opera administration: the creation of art, above all else. A graduate of Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute, Higdon’s Violin Concerto won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Music, and her Percussion Concerto won the 2010 GRAMMY Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.

She is currently experiencing her first creative process in the world of opera — composing an opera based on Charles Frazier’s best-selling novel, Cold Mountain. A co-commission between The Santa Fe Opera and Opera Company of Philadelphia, the work will receive its world premiere in 2015. Conclude the conference by hearing from one of today’s most important composers reflect on the responsibility and challenge of affirming our creative responsibilities.