Opening Session and Keynote Address Greg Carpenter, Opera Colorado; Charles MacKay, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; Gerard Mortier, New York City Opera; Pelham Pearce, Central City Opera; Marc A. Scorca, OPERA America Our Keynote Speaker will be Gerard Mortier, general manager designate of New York City Opera. Mortier brings a dynamic approach to the business of producing opera and building audiences, having previously led the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie/Brussels Opera, the Salzburg Festival, the RuhrTriennale 2002-2004 and the Opéra National de Paris. His tenures have been characterized by a bold, creative and innovative focus on new productions and 20th-century opera. He is also known for exciting collaborations with the most important musicians and composers of our time, as well as with major visual artists and renowned film and stage directors. This session will include remarks from OPERA America’s President/CEO Marc A. Scorca and Chairman Charles MacKay, and our hosts. Commenting on his appointment at New York City Opera, Mortier states, “Great challenges have always inspired me. My choice for the New York City Opera is therefore the right decision at this moment of my career. It will give me pleasure to serve a New York institution that has internationally a special flavor thanks to the important contribution of artists such as Julius Rudel, Christopher Keene and Beverly Sills, or leaders such as Paul Kellogg.           “Nowadays, nevertheless, everything has changed since September 11, and opera institutions also have to think about their own necessity in a new global world. In that sense, I hope to serve the New York community with my belief in opera as an art form that re-evaluates emotions and could therefore remain popular rather than become populist.  “As the future of opera will be judged on the content rather than on the package, opera in New York should not be a nostalgic dream of the past, but an inspiring sensitive answer for the future. I will give all my energy to make New York the most exciting place in the world of opera.”

New Works Sampler and Lunch Location: Ellie Caulkins Opera House Opera Colorado and Central City Studio artists will perform excerpts from recent premieres that have received funding through OPERA America's Opera Fund. This is your opportunity to hear some of the latest opera and music-theater works from North American composers and librettists! This exciting performance will include excerpts from Elmer Gantry by Robert Aldridge and Hershel Garfein, A Flowering Tree by John Adams and Peter Sellars, Frau Margot by Thomas Pasatieri and Frank Corsaro, Hannaraptor by Allan Gilliland and Val Brandt and Kirke Mechem’s John Brown. New Works Sampler admission is FREE for all Opera Conference and NPAC attendees. For your convenience, you can pre-order lunch for an additional cost when registering. If you have already registered for the Conference and NPAC and would like to add a lunch order, please contact Paul Gosselin at PGosselin@operaamerica.org

Building Understanding between Artist Managers and Artistic Administrators Matthew Horner, IMG Artists; Janice Mayer, Classical Action; Andreas Melinat, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Jonathan Pell, The Dallas Opera Both artist managers and artistic administrators have a vested interest in the careers of talented singers and the health of the opera industry. Sometimes their mutual goals are overshadowed by financial issues, time constraints and unintentional miscommunications. This session will provide an opportunity to express concerns and challenges, clarify terminology and work toward developing and maintaining healthy partnerships.

Stronger Fundraising through Community Engagement Lee Kappelman, Arts Consulting Group, Inc. If you want to make a successful ask, begin by listening. When opera companies engage community stakeholders — board members, volunteers, high-end donors and community leaders — they increase their chances for financial support. Participants will learn how to engage these stakeholders through strategic focus groups, evaluate the data from these discussions and create and execute a fundraising plan that addresses the goals of both the company and the community members.

Teaching through Opera: Making Relevant Connections Between our Art Form and the Classroom Clyde Berry, Forth Worth Opera; Eric McKeever, Opera Columbus; Teresa Robertson, Opera Carolina; Ruth Nott, San Francisco Opera Companies hoping to expand or deepen the value of their education programming will benefit from this session, which will explore the experiences of education professionals who have infused opera into several content areas — English, language arts, history, science, math and others. Panelists will discuss their successes, challenges and outcomes to help provide a framework for curricula that integrate opera and other subject matter.

The ADA and the Arts: Broader Implications Colleen M. Rea, Ford and Harrison, LLP Changes ahead: Are you ready? The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to more than having an accessible performance space. Five Denver performing arts organizations were recently involved in a cross-disability lawsuit regarding their venues and marketing practices. Hear how Opera Colorado refined online, direct mail and telephone campaigns to increase customer satisfaction. Areas in the ADA guidelines that may now be gray will soon become black-and-white based on these precedent-setting cases. Make sure your organization is prepared.

Adapting 20th-Century Marketing Techniques to a 21st-Century World David Snead, New York Philharmonic Danny Newman’s 1977 book Subscribe Now changed the course of arts marketing and became “the Bible” for marketing staffs around the world. As audiences become more and more commitment-averse, the model faces new challenges. At the same time, today’s technology offers many new opportunities for marketing multi-ticket packages. This session will review Newman’s fundamental principles and explore how they can be adapted for today’s environment.

Green Stages Susan Medak, Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Michael Shapiro, Ravenswood Studio; Robert Swedberg (moderator) Recently, the news has been filled with simple ways to conserve energy, recycle, balance carbon footprints and generally take responsibility for our actions toward the environment. While we may be in the habit of driving hybrid vehicles to work and recycling our soda cans at home, are we taking the same amount of care at the theater? This session will discuss about “green” ideas for the opera stage, including recycling sets, using alternative energy sources, and minimizing wastes. Panelists will also debate whether or not these socially responsible actions are financially and artistically viable.

Fundraising 101 Peter Bilotta, Portland Opera; Greg Carpenter, Opera Colorado (moderator); Shayne Doty, Washington National Opera; Margaret Genovese, Genovese, Vanderhoof & Associates; Greg Robertson, Houston Grand Opera; Lori Siegling, Opera Colorado Representatives from smaller companies will have access to five roundtable discussions, each led by a seasoned professional familiar with best practices and pitfalls regarding an important revenue stream: corporate, foundation, individual, membership and "How to Ask for Money." Session participants will have an opportunity to move between discussions to identify their companies’ specific challenges and seek relevant strategies for advancement.

How to Identify and Recruit Effective Board Members Dory Vanderhoof (moderator); Carol Whitley, Opera Colorado; G. Whitney Smith, Fort Worth Opera We know that professional skills, financial resources, time and the willingness to tap friends and colleagues are among the requirements to be an effective board member. A passionate commitment to the organization’s mission is also essential. But where do you find such candidates? This panel of opera board members and a seasoned board development professional will discuss strategies to identify the best board nominees and share techniques to recruit them and engage them as effective trustees.

Marketing Roundtable One of the most valuable aspects of OPERA America’s annual conference is the opportunity to share ideas with peers. Over lunch, meet with other marketing/PR professionals for informal discussion of issues and questions facing the field today.

Creating and Managing Fellowships for Opera Stage Directors Emilya Cachapero, Theatre Communications Group; Matthew Lata, Florida State University; Jay Lesenger, Chautauqua Opera; Dona Vaughn, PORTopera The range of skills required in opera stage direction can take a lifetime to acquire. Theater Communications Group (TCG) has worked with their member companies to create a number of residencies in directing. This panel will draw on the experiences of seasoned opera stage directors and TCG’s programs to discuss creating comprehensive training for the next generation of opera stage directors.

Creating an Endowment or Increasing One — Where Do You Start? Greg Carpenter, Opera Colorado; Elizabeth Hurley, Metropolitan Opera (moderator); Mary Selander, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Marilyn Shapiro, Los Angeles Opera; Cynthia Young, The Dallas Opera Whether you're just getting started with an endowment or looking to increase the size of an existing one, you won't want to miss this session. Hear from development directors with first-hand experience representing companies with a variety of budget and endowment sizes. Panelists will discuss steps, timeline, best practices and pitfalls surrounding endowment fundraising.

Using Research to Make the Case for Education Programs Sandra Bernhard, Houston Grand Opera; Nicolas M. Reveles, San Diego Opera; Tim Kennedy, Pensacola Opera; Patti Saraniero, Independent Program Evaluator Research and evaluation are meaningful tools that companies can use to assess and demonstrate the value of their education programs to boards, schools and foundations. Representatives from companies and other arts organizations will discuss how to design and implement effective evaluation for education programs that not only strengthen the case for funding but also allow programs to improve their delivery of services over time.

Leadership Transitions David Mallette and Len Alexander, Management Consultants for the Arts; G. Whitney Smith, The Whitney Smith Company, Inc.; Catherine French, Catherine French Group Leading staff and board members from nonprofit organizations often wear many hats, making them seemingly indispensable. While the departure of such individuals may be unimaginable, it is inevitable, and organizations often find themselves unprepared. Participants in this session will learn how to plan ahead for such transitions, identify qualified candidates and successfully integrate them into the work of the organization.

Audience Development Trends: A Report on the Met HD Audience Surveys and the Philadelphia Audience Research Project Rick Lester, TRG; Marc A. Scorca, OPERA America (moderator); Mark Shugoll, Shugoll Research In response to intense curiosity and speculation on the part of members and the media, OPERA America invited all professional company members to participate in a spring 2008 audience profile survey of the Met HD movie theater attendees. Surveys were distributed and collected by 39 opera companies across North America at HD broadcasts of La bohème and Peter Grimes. The survey was designed and conducted by Shugoll Research, representatives of whom will present a report revealing the survey findings. OPERA America  has also recently explored a new audience dynamic in the field regarding the emergence of multiple opera providers in a single community. Examining the Philadelphia opera environment, OPERA America contracted Target Resource Group (TRG) and Shugoll Research to analyze the audience attendance and migration patterns of seven Philadelphia opera providers to identify how these patterns affect the individual company’s strategic planning. Representatives from TRG and Shugoll Research will report on the results of their research.

Technical/Production Employee Performance Evaluation Marsha LeBoeuf, Washington National Opera; Kevin Patterson, Austin Lyric Opera Evaluating the work of production employees seems as though it should be cut and dried — either they hung the electrics correctly or they didn't. In order for the critique to be useful, however, it needs to be more comprehensive. How do we go about evaluating these employees in a manner that is helpful to both the organization and the individual? Is evaluating seasonal staff even a worthwhile endeavor? This session will help managers create an evaluation plan for their year-round and seasonal staff members that is effective and meaningful to both the employees and the opera company.

More than Just a Harpsichord: Collaborations between Opera Companies and Period Ensembles Sponsored by and co-presented with Early Music America Marie-Hélène Bernard, Handel & Haydn Society; Thomas Cirillo, Portland Baroque Orchestra; Christopher Mattaliano, Portland Opera; Sara Jane Patterson-Poage, Portland Opera (moderator) Portland Opera recently contracted Portland Baroque Orchestra to provide a 17th-century Venetian band of period instruments for a new production of Cavalli’s La Calisto. Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society recently collaborated with the English National Opera for a production of Monteverdi’s Orfeo. Modern opera companies also frequently employ individual period-instrument musicians to perform in the continuo group for productions using modern orchestras. The panel will address some of the issues that arise when old and new come together, such as appropriate venues, union and musician contract issues, continuo choices, special costs and considerations associated with period instruments and more.

Development Roundtable The Development Roundtable is a highly valuable opportunity for colleagues to meet their fundraising peers and exchange best practices.

Education Roundtable Join your education colleagues to voice your concerns and share ideas at our annual education roundtable discussion. This insightful and informative convening of your peers is the perfect opportunity to discuss the issues most important to you and the field.

Trustee Roundtable Join a discussion with your fellow opera company board members from across the country. Bring to the table your questions, success stories and most stubborn challenges. Trustees will learn about issues facing their peers at opera companies of similar budget sizes and how they are being addressed. You will leave with new ideas and new contacts to help you govern your company more effectively.

Singer Training Roundtable OPERA America’s Singer Training Forum is comprised of stakeholders in the field of opera (including voice teachers, young artist program managers, opera company administrators and artist managers, among others) who are dedicated to the identification and development of aspiring singers. These dedicated experts gather twice each year to discuss critical issues concerning the training and career development of promising young artists. This discussion will provide updates and opportunities to give feedback on the progress of the Singer Training Forum.

Finance Roundtable: Ask the Auditor Steve Corder, Kundinger, Corder & Engle, P.C. With the changes in Statements on Auditing Standards (SASs), which provide guidance for independent accountants in the conduct of their engagements to audit the financial statements of their clients, many finance directors are asking what they will need to do differently. At the same time, the IRS has redesigned Form 990, a reporting document that must be filed by most nonprofits. These changes will require more audit-related work for management and governing boards. This session will review the new documents and discuss the steps you need to take to comply. Steve Corder, C.P.A., will be on hand for this special session to answer questions about these and other topics impacting the finance departments of our member companies.

Best Practices and Top Tips for Opera E-Marketing Success Eugene Carr, Patron Technology Experienced e-mail marketers are aware that even very slight changes in e-mail design or strategy can have a huge impact on the bottom line. Learn to identify and focus on proven techniques that improve your e-mail results, with emphasis on better e-mail design, achieving more robust open and response rates and e-mail list development. This session will include examples of successful arts e-mail campaigns; attendees are encouraged to bring examples of their own e-marketing materials.

Technical/Production Roundtable Convene with your fellow technical/production colleagues at this yearly state of the union gathering. Participants will share experiences from their most recent seasons over refreshments, discuss current technical and production issues in the opera field, and consider ways in which these challenges can be met. All technical/production network conference attendees are welcome.

Building Your Fundraising Efforts Greg Carpenter, Opera Colorado (moderator); Margaret Genovese, Genovese, Vanderhoof & Associates All opera companies must allocate their fundraising resources strategically — especially smaller ones with fewer staff and leaner budgets. How does a small company fundraise with a dedicated staff of one or two? How should the development effort be structured for maximum results? Session participants will learn the answers to these and other questions surrounding the major challenges of raising money with limited means.

Partnerships between Universities and Young Artist Programs Sandra Bernhard, Houston Grand Opera; David Devan, Opera Company of Philadelphia; Richard Estes, Texas Christian University; Felicity Jackson, Chicago Opera Theater More and more universities and opera companies are sharing resources to create joint programs that offer both a Master's degree in vocal performance and the experience of a young artist program, increase marketing or try inventive programming outside of the traditional season. These programs can often be beneficial to the educational institution, producing company and artists, but not always. Program leaders and participants will examine the benefits and challenges of these partnerships and best practices.

Corporate Sponsorships: Striking a Deal Rena DeSisto, Bank of America; Jane Hargraft, Opera Atelier (moderator); Greg Robertson, Houston Grand Opera; Jennifer Zaslow, New York City Opera Whether you are seeking a sponsorship of $15,000, $1 million or somewhere in between, your case will be strongest if you consider mutual needs and goals, provide relevant demographic information and create attractive opportunities for sponsor recognition. Larger sponsorships bring additional responsibilities and expectations, so they entail an even greater investment of time and resources. In this session you will explore ways to attract the interest of corporate funders, learn effective strategies for closing the deal and discuss techniques for successful management of the relationship.

Community Creation Projects Take Center Stage Anthony Freud, Houston Grand Opera; Leah Lax, librettist; Kevin Rainey, Royal Opera House; James W. Wright, Vancouver Opera; Stacy Brightman, Los Angeles Opera (moderator) Communities are unique and ever-changing — the political, social and economic dynamics vary from city to city. How can opera companies capitalize on the history, geography, demography and other aspects of a community to create works that connect to a broader public? While there have been efforts to do this through outreach programming in the past, recent projects have put the community center stage by commissioning major works with local themes and participation. This session will bring together administrators and artists to discuss the process of creating community-inspired mainstage works.

Cost Containment for Capital Projects: What I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me Susan Danis, Sarasota Opera (moderator); Kenneth Tarasi, Pittsburgh Opera; Charles Cosler, Charles Cosler Theatre Design In any capital project, there are many things to consider as you plan the space, establish fundraising goals, manage the construction process and forecast operating costs. This panel will bring together opera professionals who recently completed construction projects. Discover the long-term ramifications of seemingly small decisions, explore cost-containment strategies, address how much you will need in contingency funds, learn more about the timings of cash outlays and consider implications for operating costs when construction is complete.

Maximize PR to Maintain Your Company's Visibility throughout the Year Buying ads is one way to get your name in the media, but it’s not the only way. However, many companies’ year-round PR efforts are challenged by their limited seasons. In this session, learn methods and strategies that go beyond approaching the local classical music critic. Education events, social events and human interest stories concerning artists and other company members can provide new opportunities for your opera company to maintain visibility in the community throughout the year.

Affordable and Innovative Onstage Multimedia Benjamin Pearcy, designer; Johnathon Pape, stage director Bridging the gap between theater and film, onstage digital media can add complexity and dynamism to an opera production. A panel of mutimedia experts and those who have taken the leap and used this type of design in their productions will discuss the ins and outs of onstage multimedia. Attendees will explore numerous multimedia options for the operatic stage that any company can consider, no matter what the budget.

A Board Retreat: When and How? David McIntosh; Marc A. Scorca, OPERA America Even in the best of times, the work of an opera company board is challenging. While regular meetings provide an appropriate forum for some issues, others are best approached in a retreat setting. This session, led by an expert on the topic, will help opera company trustees plan an invigorating retreat that yields maximum results. The discussion will include: determining the need, allowing proper lead time, constructing an agenda, establishing goals, following up and measuring overall success.

Closing Lunch At this session, a diverse group of leaders from the field (development, marketing, technical/production, education, finance, artistic) will reflect on their observations of this historic convention and its implications for opera. They will share their insights on the information gained over the course of the National Performing Arts Convention and comment on the action agenda developed through the America Speaks process.