Edmonton Opera AGM Results

2007-08 A Banner Year for Edmonton Opera

Edmonton Opera showcased a banner 2007/08 season at its Annual General Meeting yesterday evening. With one sold-out production (Carmen); a Sterling Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical (H.M.S. Pinafore); the Edmonton premiere of one of Verdi's greatest operas (Falstaff); a collaboration with Alberta Ballet and the Richard Eaton Singers (Mozart's Requiem); and a tour through Berlin with Artistic Director Brian Deedrick for eight Edmonton Opera patrons, Edmonton Opera's 44th season was ambitious artistically, as well as financially solvent.

"I'm very pleased to report that, for the sixth year in a row, Edmonton Opera is in a surplus position," said Edmonton Opera's General Manager, Mary Phillips-Rickey. "This surplus was achieved with careful choices in repertoire, cost monitoring in all categories, and increased revenue in several areas." The company has been dept-free for five years, and is looking towards a bright future from this solid financial position.

Outgoing Board Chair Francis Price thanked Board members, staff, volunteers, the Opera chorus members, guild, crews, patrons, and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra for their generosity and enthusiasm. "I am grateful to everyone who has helped Edmonton Opera to fly and who has soared alongside us," said Price.

Price leaves the Board's leadership to incoming Chair Dianne Kipnes, who noted she begins her term as Chair in an enviable position. "I have the good luck to be the beneficiary of the hard work of all former board members and out past chairs," said Kipnes. "But, Francis Price and his team have worked incredibly hard to put the company in its current position." Kipnes intends to take Edmonton Opera's good financial and artistic position forward aggressively by bringing more opera productions to the Jubilee stage, increasing opera audiences across all age groups and financial levels, and by launching new fundraising experiences.

The 2008/09 Board of Directors was also announced at the AGM, with Dianne Kipnes, Francis Price Dan Wiart, Larrie Boddy, Gabe Shelley, Bill Clark, Helen Cheung, Hilary Rose, Jim Johannsson, Axel Meisen, Katherine Braun, Brian Hetherington, Eleanor Olszewski, June Emery, Daniel Kim, Kyle Murray, Lynn Mandel, Ed Wiebe, David Austen, Laura Fitzgerald, Mary LeMessurier, Betty Kolodziej and Rob Rock as directors.

Edmonton Opera opens its 2008/09 season with a haunting production of Wagner's masterpiece The Flying Dutchman October 25, 28 and 30. All performances begin at 7.30pm and run at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Subscriptions and single tickets for Edmonton Opera's 45^th season are on sale now, visit www.edmontonopera.com for details.