Across the Board - Spring/Summer 2025

The articles featured here appear in the Spring/Summer 2025 issue of Across the Board, a publication of OPERA America for opera company trustees.

From OPERA America's President and CEO:

Artistic vibrancy across the field — especially at so many festivals this summer — continues to win new audiences at companies nationwide.

But what will bring them back? This question has been at the core of our work for the past year. I hope you’ve spent time with our study into newcomer motivations, experiences, and barriers, as well as with the companion resource guide for activating research at your company.

The feature article in this issue offers a view of how Central City Opera, the historic festival company in the mountains outside Denver, is thinking about connecting research to practice. Keep in mind: This is written from the staff perspective. Your responsibility as trustees is to ask questions through a governance lens, so I’ve included an accompanying piece to help you appreciate your role.

As you chart out your calendars for the year, I hope you will join us for webinars this fall, the National Trustee Forum in March, and Opera Conference 2026 in May.

- Marc A. Scorca