2010 Conference in Los Angeles Breaks Records

OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, is pleased to announce that Opera Conference 2011 will be held from May 7-11 in Boston, MA, a culturally rich city with a thriving opera ecology. Boston Lyric Opera and Opera Boston will serve as lead hosts, joined by 24 other Boston-area institutions. This news comes on the heels of the most successful Opera Conference in history, Opera Conference 2010, held last month in Los Angeles.

Anticipated highlights of Opera Conference 2011 include performances of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Boston Lyric Opera, Donizetti’s Maria Padilla by Opera Boston, a tour of the M.I.T. Media Lab, the Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase, the New Works Sampler in the American Repertory Theater Underground Cabaret and Co-Production Speed Dating. A series of seminars, general and opera sessions will provide broad perspective and specific leadership training in the areas of audience development, fundraising, governance and artistic planning. Capitalizing on the unique educational and cultural resources of Boston, Opera Conference 2011 will also feature special sessions on musical entrepreneurship and Baroque performance practice.

Opera Conference 2011 Participating Organizations include Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Boston, Boston Baroque, The Boston Conservatory, Boston Early Music Festival, Boston University College of Fine Arts, Guerilla Opera, New England Conservatory, American Repertory Theater, Arts Boston, Boston Metro Opera, Boston Opera Collaborative, Boston Singers Resource, Cape Cod Opera, Commonwealth Opera, Emerson College, Harvard University, Intermezzo Opera, Longwood Opera, Longy School of Music, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Metrowest Opera, North of Boston Arts Center, Opera del West, Opera Hub and Worcester Opera Works.

Opera Conference 2010
Opera Conference 2010, held last month in Los Angeles and hosted by LA Opera, drew the largest attendance in OPERA America history. The more than 500 attendees included representatives from the largest and smallest opera companies in the country, publishers and other allied businesses, and a diverse group of creative and performing artists.

Sessions and speakers for Opera Conference 2010: New Realities | New Strategies addressed the unique issues facing the industry as a result of the current economic climate. Using examples from within opera and other performing arts, as well as from the business world, conference speakers encouraged attendees to think beyond traditional business and artistic models.

The impact of Opera Conference 2010 is reaching beyond those who were able to travel to Los Angeles. In addition to live streaming an interview of LA Opera General Director Plácido Domingo by OPERA America President and CEO Marc A. Scorca, a package of keynote, general and open session videos are available for purchase. Visit www.operaamerica.org/content/conference/2010/video.aspx to learn more.

“Opera Conference 2010 came during an important turning point for our field,” stated OPERA America President and CEO Marc A. Scorca. “Even as the economy shows signs of emerging from the recent crisis, opera companies and artists are finding that fresh thinking is needed to advance the art form and the industry. By creating an atmosphere conducive to innovative thinking, the Opera Conference — like many other OPERA America services — is an essential resource for the field,” he continued. “We look forward to continuing these compelling discussions next year in Boston.”

More information about Opera Conference 2011 may be found at www.operaamerica.org/content/conference. Registration will open in the fall.

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