OPERA America Reveals 2015 National Opera Trustee Recognition Award Recipients

OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2015 National Opera Trustee Recognition Award. Now in its eighth year, this award honors outstanding trustees of U.S. opera companies for exemplary leadership, generosity and audience-building efforts on behalf of their respective opera companies.

The recipients of the 2015 National Opera Trustee Recognition Award are John Nesholm, Seattle Opera; James H. McCoy, Hawaii Opera Theatre (Honolulu, HI); Sue Bienkowski, Long Beach Opera; and Frank "Woody" Kuehn, Opera Southwest (Albuquerque, NM). OPERA America will pay tribute to the 2015 honorees and celebrate their remarkable achievements at a dinner and reception on Friday, February 27, in New York City.

"We are delighted to be joined by Bank of America for the eighth consecutive year in celebrating the significant and enduring contributions of these devoted trustees," stated Marc A. Scorca, president/CEO of OPERA America. "Successful opera companies depend on effective boards. The National Opera Trustee Recognition Award affords the entire opera community an opportunity to salute and learn from those who have been so generous in their passion for the art form, vision and support of their opera companies."

Each year, OPERA America Professional Company Members are invited to nominate one of their trustees for this award. One honoree is chosen from each of OPERA America's four budget levels, recognizing that devoted trustees are an integral part of opera companies large and small.

Through a competitive adjudication process, honorees are selected by the National Opera Trustee Recognition Program committee, led by OPERA America Board Member Carol F. Henry (chairman of the board of directors' executive committee, Los Angeles Opera). Other committee members include: Elizabeth Eveillard (past chair of the board of trustees, The Glimmerglass Festival), Garry Fredericksen (past president of the board of directors, Indianapolis Opera), Ruth Orth (past chair of the board of trustees, Pensacola Opera) and Fillmore Wood (former vice chairman of the board of directors, Opera Pacific).

"OPERA America's commitment to recognizing the multifaceted contributions of opera company trustees is inspiring," stated Ms. Henry. "As an opera company trustee, I understand the level of commitment the nominees make to the art form and to the opera companies they love. Therefore, I am deeply honored to commend their achievements on a national scale."

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