The Canadian Opera Company Appoints Steven Kelley as Chief Communications Officer

The Canadian Opera Company is proud to announce that it has selected Steven Kelley to serve in the opera company's new senior staff position of Chief Communications Officer. Kelley joins the COC in early October, coming directly from Houston Grand Opera where he has been director of marketing for the past four years.

As a member of the COC's senior executive management team, Kelley will lead the development and implementation of strategic efforts to maximize the opera company's earned revenue opportunities, directly manage all marketing and communication-based activities that promote and enhance the COC brand, lead the expansion of the COC's community outreach and engagement activities, and oversee communications efforts to maximize the opera company's international, national and regional impact.

"We look forward to having Steven join the company this fall. He's highly skilled with over 15 years of experience working specifically in the marketing of opera," says Canadian Opera Company General Director Alexander Neef. "While at Houston Grand Opera, among other marketing and communications innovations, Steven revitalized subscription and single-ticket campaigns that have now made HGO a model within the opera industry. He offers an outstanding combination of experience and accomplishments that will serve the COC well as we continue to develop as one of the world's finest opera companies."

Kelley joined Houston Grand Opera in 2010 and played a significant role in restructuring the company's sales, marketing and customer service activities. Prior to HGO, Kelley led the marketing efforts for the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and was director of marketing and communications for Kentucky Opera. He was formerly a producer of Radio City Music Hall, and has a background in advertising. He spent his early professional years as a stage manager working for a number of opera companies, including HGO and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Kelley holds a bachelor of music degree from Baylor University.

About the Canadian Opera Company

Based in Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the largest in North America. The COC enjoys a loyal audience support-base and one of the highest attendance and subscription rates in North America. Under its leadership team of General Director Alexander Neef and Music Director Johannes Debus, the COC is increasingly capturing the opera world's attention. The COC maintains its international reputation for artistic excellence and innovation by creating new productions within its diverse repertoire, collaborating with leading opera companies and festivals, and attracting the world's foremost Canadian and international artists. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, hailed internationally as one of the finest in the world. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, the Four Seasons Centre opened in 2006, and is also the performance venue for The National Ballet of Canada. For more information on the COC, visit its award-winning website,canadianopera.ca.