Atlanta Opera: Back in black (again)
July 29, 2008 at 10:53 am by David Lee Simmons in A&E
Last fall we asked the musical question: “Will a new venue provide Atlanta Opera’s spring board to success?” Well, based on a recent press release from the company, the answer appears to be yes. The company reports that, for the third time in four years, it has finished its season with a surplus — this time in the neighborhood of $200,000. According to Dennis Hawthorn, who took over as the Zurich General Director for the company in 2004, the move to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre was a key to the success.
Also according to the press release, the Opera raised $4.56 million, about $100,000 over the original goal, thanks to a strong fundraising drive. (It’s a helluva lot easier to sell the community on the opera when it’s housed in the more intimate and acoustically appropriate venue like the Cobb as opposed to the Atlanta Civic Center.) That money comes from a mix of support from corporations, members of the company’s Society for Artistic Excellence, and local foundations, the release said.
The Atlanta Opera closed its season in April with a production of Puccini’s The Marriage of Figaro, and opens the 2008-2009 season with Madama Butterfly on Oct. 4.
(Photo by Joeff Davis)
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