Now the conductor Gary Brain, who lives in Paris, tells me that at a recent performance he was given a leaflet with the results of a government survey showing that average attendance age at concerts and opera is 32 and the dress code overwhelmingly informal.

Classical audiences are up year on year by 30 percent.

So how do the French do it? Mostly, it’s a question of top-down attitude.

Instead of politicians and media projecting an image of serious music as elitist and expensive, in France they present it as both aspirational and enjoyable – a good way to spend an evening and an environment where young people are likely to meet people they like.

In addition, there is a great pride and affinity in such homegrown artists as Natalie Dessay, Emmanuelle Haim and the countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, household names who appear on mainstream media shows.

We consider this as food for thought this morning as OperaBaltimore continues to work on its own business plan and commitment to American artists.

Read  all of Mr. Lebrecht’s commentary here

Organizational Updates:

• Incorporation papers have been filed State; 5013c status to follow.  Once our 501c3 application is approved by the IRS (as we expect it to be), then donations can be deducted retroactive to the date of application filing.

8 June 09 update: our incorporation is now complete.  501c3 application to the IRS is in process.

• Checking and savings accounts at Howard Bank.
• Phone number working:  410-630-136
• Business cards with address and phone number are available. Please let Leslie know if you would like to have the template e-mailed to you. Use the contact form here. She gets all that in her personal email box.
• Interim stationary and envelopes exist.
• Our goal is to acknowledge contributions no less than weekly.
• Informal informational discussions about OperaBaltimore’s formation and goals have been held with AGMA and IATSE leadership, as well as with influential members of AFofM.  These conversations have been warmly received.
• Website is up with PayPal connection.  Donations are now being received in this way, in addition to the usual mailing of checks.  Currently PayPal is the only way that we can accept charges.
• Facebook page is up and has 390 members as of today.  A query was posted as to what American opera our fans would like to see.  Facebook is an important social networking, marketing and development tool for OperaBaltimore.  Almost 300 followers is an important indication to us that people want to be connected to what we have to say.

8 June 09 Update – there are 609 members of OperaBaltimore’s Facebook page today.

• Permanent logo in development by Pic Group.

COMMITTEES:

All committees work will come back to the Steering Committee for additional input.  The Board of Directors is – and will be – separate from the Steering Committee.  Board members have different responsibilities.

Following is a list of working committees, with work to do!  Please let Laura Lee Everett know which committee(s) you would like to serve on.  Don’t be shy!

Committee members do NOT need to be members of the Steering Committee, although they certainly can be.

Laura Lee can be reached at operahon@gmail.com

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Artistic Committee:
Donald Edmund Thomas and Pat Diamond, co-chairs
This committee is charged to draft a five-year repertoire plan on or before 1 August 09.

Development Committee:
Leslie Rehbein Marqua (Interim Chair)

Marketing Committee:
Laura Lee Everett, Chair

Education Committee
Laura Lee Everett (Interim Chair)

Board Nominating and Governance Committee:
Daryl Sidle – Chair
Bylaws are a part of this committee’s responsibilities.

Finance Committee:
Joel Purcell – Chair

Facilities Committee:
Donald Edmund Thomas, Karen Myers – Co-chairs

American Operas to do in Baltimore    as of 5/18/2009
Susannah (Floyd)    8
Dead Man Walking (Heggie)    4
The Ghosts of Versailles (Corgliano)    4
Volpone (Musto)    4
A Streetcar Named Desire (Previn)    4
Sweeney Todd (Sondheim)    3
Nixon In China (Adams)    3
Vanessa (Barber)    3
The Consul (Menotti)    3
The Crucible (Ward)    3
Little Women (Adamo)    2
Dr. Atomic (Adams)    2
Elmer Gantry (Aldridge)    2
Of Mice and Men (Floyd)    2
The Tempest (Hoiby)    2
Later The Same Evening (Musto)    2
A Little Night Music (Sondheim)    2
Wurthering Heights (Hermann)    1
The Tender Land (Copland)    1
Jackie O (Daugherty)    1
Postcard From Moracco (Argento)    1
The Boor (Argento)    1
Aspern Papers (Argento)    1
Where Angles Fear To Tread (Weiser)    1
Appamattox (Glass)    1
Porgy and Bess (Gershwin)    1
Street Scene (Weill)    1
The Ballad of Baby Doe (Moore)    1
The Three Penny Opera (Weill)    1
Margaret Garner (Danielpour)    1
Anthony and Cleopatra (Barber)    1
Voyage of Edgar Allen Poe (Argento)    1
Harvey Milk (Wallace)    1
The Saint of Bleeker Street (Menotti)    1

If you want to weigh in and aren’t on Facebook, please email us and let us know.  We want to hear from all of you!

And if you believe in what we are doing and want to support it, take a moment and donate thru PayPal on the SUPPORT US portion of the site.  No contribution is too great or too small – please become a part of creating a new way of producing opera in Baltimore.

Laura Lee Everett

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/charlottehigginsblog/2009/apr/21/classicalmusicandopera-twitter

In her blog Real Clear Arts, Judith H. Dobrzynski writes that :

“The Chicago Opera Theater is back with what it calls the “People’s Opera,” which I wrote about here a few weeks ago. For $1 a vote, the COT allows people to choose one of three operas that will be performed during, in this case, its spring 2011 season.>>

What do you think?  Is this a good way to pick an opera season?

Link below to read the entire post

http://www.artsjournal.com/realcleararts/2009/04/vote-for-opera.html

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