Lyric Opera of KC Appoints Two to Senior Staff

General Director and CEO Deborah Sandler today announced key appointments to the Company's senior staff.

Jeff Walker has joined the Lyric Opera as the new Chief Financial Officer. Walker earned a B.S. in Accounting, Business Administration and English from William Jewell College where he was also a member of the Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Pep Band and Liberty Symphony. He earned an M.B.A. from the University of Saint Mary in 2002. Jeff has spent the majority of his professional career in the nonprofit sector having worked for the Kansas City Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Community Housing of Wyandotte County, Sunflower House, the National World War I Museum and most recently Johnson County Library. Jeff is a devoted fan of opera, having been a longtime season subscriber of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and travels the world with his wife in search of interesting opera experiences.

Linda Ade Brand has been appointed Director of Education and Community Engagement. Brand began her career at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City in the spring of 1986 as a production assistant, wig assistant, dresser and assistant stage manager and eventually became a stage manager, then stage director for seven main stage productions and thirty-one education productions. She has a B.A. in music and theatre from Bethany College and an M.F.A. in Directing from University of Missouri - Kansas City. She taught for five years in the theatre department of Avila College and for ten years in the Conservatory of Music and Dance at UMKC.

The Lyric Opera of Kansas City was founded in 1958; it is one of the nations' premier regional opera companies and brings high quality live operatic performances to the people of the Kansas City area and a five-state region. Repertoire choices encompass original language performances of standard repertory as well as contemporary and American operas. The Company mounts productions that enrich the community it serves, as well as reflect the highest artistic standards of the profession. The Lyric Opera offers innovative and award-winning programs designed to further music and arts education both in schools and in the community and serves more than 18,000 students and educators each year.

Opera lovers can follow the Lyric Opera of Kansas City online under "@kcopera" on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Flickr and "@LyricOperaKC" on YouTube.

The Lyric Opera of Kansas City is a member of OPERA America and this season is made possible with funding from Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts, and the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation.

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