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| July 1, 2009 | ||
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 2009 Season La bohème Giacomo Puccini Made possible by lead corporate sponsor MasterCard Worldwide Salome Richard Strauss Il re pastore Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Made possible by Whitaker Foundation The Ghosts of Versailles John Corigliano & William M. Hoffman Made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Susan and Elihu Rose Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Mrs. Walter F. Brissenden, Estate of Colin Graham, Emily Rauh Pulitzer, and lead corporate sponsor Centene Corporation. |
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Dear Friends,As we look back on a thrilling season, I would like to thank everyone who played a part in making the 2009 festival among Opera Theatre's most memorable and well-attended. Sounds and images are continuing to replay in our imaginations -- Kelly Kaduce's chilling portrayal of Salome, or Stephen Lord's amazing, visceral collaboration with the members of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, or James Robinson's visual poetry in his landmark production of John Corigliano and William M. Hoffman's stunning The Ghosts of Versailles. Given the challenging economy, it is wonderful to send good news: Opera Theatre once again exceeded its goals for ticket revenue and attendance. This is particularly exciting given that our goals were set well before the financial situation started to worsen last fall. Here are the "stats":
Approximately 15% of the 2009 audience was new to Opera Theatre -- a reflection of expanded outreach programs including redoubled efforts for group sales, a new Young Friends group with more than 150 participants, and collaborations with organizations ranging from Food Outreach to the Fox Theater, from the Saint Louis Art Museum to Cabaret St. Louis. New tools for spreading the word also played a part, including Facebook, Twitter, and video previews and documentaries for each production. Audience members came this season from as far away as Alaska, Key West, Cape Cod, Guam, and New Zealand -- from 43 states and U.S. territories, and nine foreign countries. In addition to the wonderful coverage we received locally this year, writers from 15 national and international print and online publications came to review the Opera Theatre season -- you may have already seen reviews in The Wall Street Journal or London's Financial Times, and more are coming soon. As you may know, the famous intimacy of our theater means that ticket revenue even for such a successful season covers just 26% of expenses, so we rely on the generosity of our amazingly loyal donors to bridge the gap. We are tremendously grateful to all of those who have supported us in spite of the challenging times. Once again, you have put a balanced budget within reach. We still have a good amount of work to do before the fiscal year ends on September 30, but despite the economy, I believe that Opera Theatre's 33-year "no deficit" tradition can be sustained through a combination of the spending cuts we implemented early in the year, increased revenue from co-productions, rentals, and the box office, and the continuing support of so many of you. Looking ahead, I am beyond excited that the 2010 season will open with one of the world's greatest masterpieces, Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, and continues with the magnificent Eugene Onegin for the first time since 1991, the directing debut of famed designer Isaac Mizrahi with A Little Night Music, and the world premiere of a spectacular new family opera, The Golden Ticket. With your help, we will be able to build on this year's expansion of the audience and attract even more of the next generation to experience what makes Opera Theatre such a special place. I feel privileged to be part of the warm and welcoming Opera Theatre community, and I thank you for all of your enthusiasm and encouragement this past year. I look forward to seeing you again soon! Sincerely, Timothy O'Leary General Director |
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Opera Theatre is a sustaining member of the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis and receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts; Regional Arts Commission; and Missouri Arts Council. Opera Theatre promotes diversity and inclusiveness and affirms ADA compliance. Photo by Ken Howard. You are receiving this e-mail as a free service of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. If you would prefer not to receive periodic e-mails like this one from us then simply click here to be removed. If you would like to forward this e-mail to a friend, please click here. Opera Theatre of Saint Louis P.O. Box 191910 St. Louis, MO 63119-7910 314-961-0171 www.experienceopera.org Unsubscribe | Forward to a Friend |
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