A message to our community From Christina Scheppelmann

Dear friends,

It is an honor to share my first State of the Company communication with you. I hope you will read every bit of this email so that you can be aware of what is happening at your opera company.

As a supporter of Seattle Opera, I want to start with a big THANK YOU for all you do to enhance the arts in our community. Whether you attend our productions once in a while, are a season subscriber, or take part in our community programs—we are grateful for you.

In the five months since taking up the helm at Seattle Opera, opera related travels have taken me to New York City, Houston, and Germany—but I enjoy travel and flying, and I’m now well-acquainted with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport!

The Falling and the Rising

Our November presentation of The Falling and the Rising was a tremendous success thanks to the new partnerships with Intrepid Spirit Center, Path with Art, Veteran Rites, Puget Sound Music Therapy, MusicWorks4Veterans, and The Red Badge Project—organizations working to improve the lives of veterans in the Puget Sound region. This new American opera about military service, sacrifice, and trauma—issues we struggle to acknowledge and discuss—was also the first production to take place in Tagney Jones Hall. You can read more about The Falling and the Rising on Seattle Magazine, KUOW, and The Seattle Times.

One Year at the Opera Center

This month marks the first anniversary in our new home at Seattle Center. It has been a very productive year, to say the least. About 3,000 people have visited the facility to participate in a wide variety of programs. From early learning activities such as Opera Time at the Opera Center and the Youth Opera Project to adult and community programs like Opera Talks with Jonathan Dean and Community Conversations, we’re engaging our region’s residents in numerous ways. The Opera Center is quickly becoming a vital community asset, through which cultural, civic, and community organizations including Pacific Northwest Ballet, ArtsFund, Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra, TeenTix, and Opera America’s Women’s Opera Network have collaborated with us.

Next Up: Eugene Onegin and the New Season

The team and I have been quite busy finalizing the 2020/21 season. You’ll learn more about that in the weeks ahead.

For now, we are rehearsing, building costumes, and marketing performances of Eugene Onegin. This frenzy of activity reminds me of our beloved Tchaikovsky and his patron for many years, Nadezhda von Meck. Her financial assistance resulted in the creation of several masterworks, such as his “Symphony No. 4,” “The Violin Concerto in D Major,” and, of course, Eugene Onegin. For nearly 150 years, her philanthropy has influenced the classical music world, making it possible for music-lovers everywhere to revel in Tchaikovsky’s music.

Financial Update and Good News

Opera is one of the most complex performing art forms and relies on the support of generous donors like you to create what you see at McCaw Hall. In other words, opera would not exist without your ongoing financial support. But what would life be like without music, singing…art in general?

Board members have shared with me that people who are not close to opera are surprised to learn that Seattle Opera faces the same financial challenges as other nonprofit organizations. With so much need locally, and in the world, it is easy to overlook the importance of supporting organizations that feed the soul. The arts are essential to and part of a community’s lifeblood.

Given the significant financial investment of $24.3 million needed to produce the world-class opera you love this season—I’m thrilled to share the news that earlier this month, Seattle Opera received a one million dollar gift from Barbara Stephanus. She and her late husband, Paul, had attended every production Seattle Opera has presented since our beginning. We are grateful that she wanted to honor his memory in this way—a gift that will benefit so many in our community. Thank you, Barbara!

Opera is nothing if not dramatic. After we announced Barbara’s gift, a donor (who wishes to remain anonymous) reached out to me to make a one million dollar challenge grant to inspire all of you to make new and increased gifts to the Annual Fund. More information on how you can participate in this amazing opportunity to double your gift will be announced soon.

Your Support Matters

Even with these two exceptional gifts, we have not fully funded our current season. Your financial support is crucial to bringing great opera to the stage and our community. That’s why I’m asking you to please make a donation to Seattle Opera by December 31. Even if you’ve already given this year, I hope you’ll consider an additional gift that will help us head into 2020 focused on bringing you breathtaking opera.

I’m thrilled that Seattle is my new home, and I am honored to work for you and with an impressive group of professionals—Seattle Opera employed more than 800 people to create opera over the course of the season last year. These individuals are your friends and neighbors, and they contribute to Seattle’s innovative spirit, creative economy, and vibrant community every day.

The company’s momentum remains strong because of your continued generosity and as I continue to meet with local arts colleagues and civic leaders, I look forward to meeting more of you—our closest friends and supporters—in the coming months.

Happy Holidays!

Christina Scheppelmann

General Director