Austin Opera Announces Michael Solomon as Director of Audience Experience

Austin Opera has announced Michael Solomon as the new Director of Audience Experience, a position created by the Innovation Grant awarded by OPERA America to Austin Opera this summer. Solomon will begin at Austin Opera effective immediately.

As Director of Audience Experience, Solomon will work collaboratively with the Opera's marketing and development departments, as well as external partners and vendors, to conduct audience research and implement strategies aimed at maximizing the patron experience. Key aspects of the project will include the ticket-buying process, venue logistics, pre- and post-show activities, patron communications and programming enhancements.

Solomon joins Austin Opera after nearly 25 years of prestigious communications and industry positions in the Washington D.C. metro area. Prior to his move to Austin, Solomon served as Senior Press Representative for The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. His chief client was the Washington National Opera, for whom he managed press for six seasons. Preceding his work with the Washington National Opera, Solomon served as Director of Communications at The Chronicle of Higher Education/The Chronicle of Philanthropy for nearly 20 years.

"I am excited to join the vibrant leadership team at Austin Opera and am grateful for the work of General Director Annie Burridge in securing the grant that makes my position possible," said Solomon. "I am thrilled to return to my native Texas and to bring my passion for opera to a city world renowned for its love of live music. I look forward to getting to know our audiences and to enriching their experience at the Opera."

The newly created position of Director of Audience Experience is made possible by OPERA America's Innovation Grant, which Austin Opera received in June 2017. Through the grant, the Opera has concurrently formed an innovative partnership with the Four Seasons Hotel Austin to implement audience survey practices and provide guidance in the integration of best practices in hospitality into Austin Opera's operations.

The Innovation Grant supports exceptional opera projects that have the capacity to strengthen the field's most important areas of practice, including artistic vitality, audience experience, organization effectiveness and community connections. The grant will fund a two-year initiative for the Austin Opera to study and improve audience experiences throughout all facets of the company's programming.

Austin Opera, founded in May 1986 as the city's first professional opera company, has become a cultural touchstone for the fine arts community in Texas. Committed to producing and promoting outstanding operatic programming that entertains, enriches and educates the central Texas community, Austin Opera has gained national acclaim as a producer of great opera delivering an extraordinary experience that celebrates the diversity that makes Austin unique. Austin Opera productions consistently garner national and international praise for production value, vocal artistry, and repertoire selection.

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