OPERA CONFERENCE 2013: OPERA OUT OF BOUNDS Runs 5/7-11

OPERA America, the national nonprofit service organization for opera, is pleased to announce details of Opera Conference 2013: Opera Out of Bounds, to be held in Vancouver, British Columbia from May 7-11. Co-hosted by Vancouver Opera, and in association with Opera.ca and Opera Volunteers International, this largest annual gathering of opera professionals in North America will convene at venues in the bustling downtown section of the city. This marks the second time that the conference is being held in Vancouver; the city previously hosted in 1999.

OPERA America's annual conference presents a unique opportunity for industry leaders to examine issues affecting the opera community from a variety of perspectives. Conference attendees will delve into the impact of opera and opera companies in today's society, as the art form's definition continues to expand beyond traditional forms and opera companies extend their reach outside the opera house to the entire city. With Vancouver, one of North America's most dynamic and diverse cultural capitals, as a backdrop,Opera Conference 2013 will explore strategies for connecting with new communities, ideas for richer audience engagement and advances in technology to increase opera's impact.

OPERA CONFERENCE 2013 HIGHLIGHTS

Learning sessions and events planned for opera conference attendees are designed to cover all facets of this multidisciplinary art form and address the concerns of creators, presenters and supporters. Among the many conference-wide sessions, performances, showcases and participatory events at Opera Conference 2013 are:

The Opening Keynote Address by Don M. Randel, former president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation;

The New Works Forum, which nurtures more informed producers and creators of new operas, and establishes stronger relationships among them;

The Singer Training Forum, for those who are dedicated to the identification and development of aspiring singers;

The Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase, a biennial program fostering the development of promising stage directors and scenic designers by connecting them with key decision makers at opera companies in a showcase of their work;

Performances of Tan Dun's Tea: A Mirror of Soul by Vancouver Opera in its Canadian premiere run;

Harnessing the Power of Learning, a participatory session demonstrating the power of crowd-sourced learning to inform and engage audiences, led by Douglas McLennan, founder and editor of ArtsJournal;

Opera Out of Bounds in the Opera House, focusing on nurturing community relationships through both new works and creative productions of standard repertoire, with panelists Arlene Gladstone, Vancouver Opera Foundation; Robert McQueen, stage director; Timothy O'Leary, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; Robert Sirman, Canada Council for the Arts; Christopher Theofanidis, composer; and James W. Wright, Vancouver Opera;

Achieving Boundless Impact, featuring innovative projects from within and outside the arts that have extended impact and built customer loyalty, with presentations by Ann-Li Cooke, innovation consultant; Scott Gelband, Seattle Music Partners; J. Joly, dimeRocker | CineCoup; Sandra Singh, Vancouver Public Library; and Sonny Wong, Artspoints;

Showcase: A Decade of New Canadian Opera, a concert presented by Opera.ca, celebrating the richness, creativity and impact of the Canadian Opera Creation Fund;

OPERA America's New Works Sampler, with performances of works-in-progress and recent premieres, featuring the wide spectrum of musical styles employed by today's emerging and established composers; and

The Closing Keynote Address, delivered by San Francisco Opera's David Gockley, who is a leader in making opera relevant to the broadest possible public.

A series of more than 20 Open Sessions provide conference attendees with valuable and practical information in specific administrative areas, including marketing, fundraising, governance, artistic planning, education and audience development. For the second straight year, Opera Conference 2013 is presented in association with Opera Volunteers International. Throughout the conference, a number of sessions address the important role that volunteers play in the success of the local opera company.

On Saturday, May 11, OPERA America presents a special Artist Intensive program for artists of all levels, taking place at The Michael and Inna O'Brian Centre. This day-long professional development workshop features feedback auditions, portfolio reviews, one-on-one mentoring sessions with industry experts, panel discussions and presentations.

"We are delighted to bring the opera conference back to beautiful Vancouver, a city made vibrant by its multitude of cultures," stated OPERA America President/CEO Marc A. Scorca. "At a time when live transmissions of operas to venues like movie theaters, ballparks and the web are rapidly on the rise, and potential customers increasingly experience opera through mobile apps, games and social media, we are seeing traditional boundaries of our art form fade. With a dynamic mix of artists and administrators from all areas of the opera industry in attendance from throughout North America and beyond, Opera Conference 2013 reflects these movements in our industry," he continued.

OPERA OUT OF BOUNDS IN ACTION

The innovative thinking and valuable tools gained during Opera Conference 2013 are not limited to those able to travel to Vancouver. Select sessions will be streamed live on OPERA America's website at operaamerica.org and archived on the organization's YouTube channel (YouTube.com/OPERAAmerica). Conference attendees and live stream viewers are encouraged to interact and share highlights on Twitter with the hashtag #OperaConf.

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