Archives for July 2007
The Indomitable Mr. Pell
July 23, 2007
Anybody who swings by The Dallas Opera offices needs to take a second to walk past Jonathan Pell’s office. Our longtime director of artistic administration, sitting behind his desk loaded with snow globes from several continents, looks rather different these days. No, the same obsessive-compulsive organizational skills are in evidence. The same penchant for... Read more →
Boom Days
American.com, an online magazine of ideas, points out that the United States now has a total of 125 going opera companies, which is more than either Italy (twice as many, in fact) or Germany. Furthermore, “roughly as many Americans attend live opera performances as attend NFL football games.” The National Endowment for the Arts found... Read more →
What Matters Most
There’s a fascinating new survey conducted by the Gallup Organization for the Atlanta Opera that says, in essence, we opera-types don’t really understand what drives our customers to make that all-important ticket purchase. Here are some of the more interesting/controversial findings: Current and former subscribers (in Atlanta, remember) say that it doesn’t much matter... Read more →
The Fine Print
July 10, 2007
Before you leap, feet-first, please read the fine print (a.k.a. The Dallas Opera blog Comments Policy): The Dallas Opera blog is designed to give staff, patrons, opera-lovers, and the opera-curious a lively forum for the exchange of ideas. Your supportive or dissenting thoughts, comments, opinions and exchanges are encouraged; however, please express yourself in a... Read more →
Launching the blog
Gee…This is one of those moments in Dallas Opera history. Not one of those sublime moments like the pairing of Ruth Ann Swenson and Ewa Podles in Rodelinda, or, one of those make-your-heart-dance-in-your-chest moments like the playful interaction between Vivica Genaux, Giorgio Caoduro and Donato DiStefano in last season’s The Barber of Seville. Neither is... Read more →