The Dallas Opera Presents General Directors Roundtable
By: Gabrielle Sierra Aug. 19, 2011
The Dallas Opera will present the second "General Director's Roundtable," a timely and in-depth discussion of issues affecting opera, contemporary audiences, and the greater performing arts community today. The brainchild of Dallas Opera General Director & CEO Keith Cerny, this series seeks to bring together the most knowledgeable voices in their fields, both local and national, in a genuine quest for answers.
The topic of our second roundtable is "Collaboration in the Arts," once again presented in partnership with D magazine and moderated by D magazine Arts Editor Peter Simek. The panelists, in addition to the multifaceted Mr. Cerny who hosts these events, will include the dynamic and critically acclaimed artistic director of the Dallas Theater Center, Kevin Moriarty, and the recently appointed general director of Opera Company of Philadelphia, David DeVan, who has been raising the profile of the OCP for the past six years. All three panelists have strong opinions (and equally strong track records) about the need for increased collaboration within the performing arts.
"My ideas about exciting, new possibilities for creative partnerships in the arts were being formulated long before I ever set foot in Dallas," explains TDO General Director & CEO Keith Cerny."One of my first tasks was to introduce myself to the other arts organizations in town and find the points of intersection where meaningful collaborations might be possible. Those discussions got underway almost at once, resulting in the Dallas Opera's very first simulcast last October in collaboration with AT&T Performing Arts Center, our first artistic partnership with the Dallas Museum of Art to present a world premiere song cycle inspired by works from the Permanent Collections, and the announcement of a history-making collaboration with the Dallas Theater Center to launch the Dallas Opera's new chamber opera series next March.
"These partnerships serve many important purposes," adds Mr. Cerny. "They increase our exposure in the community even as they deepen our base of support. The radical exchange of ideas, in itself, alters the way we think about this great art form. It eliminates the perceived boundaries in which we operate or perform; it makes us challenge our existing assumptions about what we can or cannot do.
"And, it helps us to take an art form that some regard as aloof and make it exciting and relevant for a much broader cross-section of the community."
This event-one of the exclusive perks of subscribing to the Dallas Opera-will be held in the Studio Theatre located on Level Six of the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center (directly across Flora Street from the Winspear Opera House) on Monday, September 19, 2011 at 6:30 PM. On-site parking is available beneath the Winspear in the Lexus Red Parking Garage. Take the elevator up to the plaza and cross the street on foot.He has directed plays off-Broadway and at regional theaters nationwide. Here in Dallas, Mr. Moriarty has directed productions of Henry IV, It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman, Fat Pig, A Midsummer Night's Dream, In the Beginning, and The Who's Tommy. He will make his opera debut directing our new production of the contemporary, supernatural thriller, The Lighthouse, by British composer Peter Maxwell Davies. The production, sponsored by American Express, will open in the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre on March 16, 2012 and will run for three performances.
David B. Devan was appointed General Director of Opera Company of Philadelphia last February, after serving six years as both a managing director and Executive Director of the company. His successful ventures include partnering with the Curtis Institute and Kimmel Center to create a fully staged opera at the Perelman Theater each season; a $5 million fundraising campaign to support the company's artistic goals (of which $4.1 million has been raised); and the OCP Education Department's Hip H'Opera collaboration with Arts Sanctuary's after-school program.Mr. Devan served as Executive Director of Pacific Opera Victoria from 1997 through 2005, during which time the company's budget increased 150%. Previously, he spent four years as Director of Marketing and Development for Opera Ontario; worked as the Performing Arts Marketing Head for the Harbourfront Centre; and served for three seasons as the Marketing Director of the Canadian Opera Company. He has served on the Board of Directors for Opera America and as Chairman of the Board for Opera CA (Canada), the national associations for opera companies.
Full season subscriptions (four performances) for the 2011-2012 Season range from $76 to $1,015. Inner Circle seating may be higher. Those who subscribe now will be eligible to attend this General Director's Roundtable, as well as other special performances, discussions and events. Contact the friendly staff at the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or purchase your subscription online at dallasopera.org.
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