Following the conclusion ofits2021fiscal year on September 30,Opera Theatre of Saint Louis(OTSL)announced preliminary results thatincludea sold-out outdoor season,markedengagement of digital audiences,andvibrant philanthropic support for the company. A comprehensive audit will be completed and published inFebruaryof 2022.
A key component of the 2021 fiscal year was OTSL’sreturn to live performances following the devastating disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company pivoted fromindoor performances inits usual venue (the 987-seat Loretto-Hilton Center)toits first-everoutdoorseason, buildinga 290-seatvenue in aparking lot on Webster University’s campus.This landmark season sold out less than a week after going onsale to the public, a first in OTSL’s history.Despite the challenges of producing outdoors, the 2021 Outdoor Festival Season was an unqualified popular and critical successthat not only reinforced the value of shared artistic experiences, but also revived a long-neglected work (Highway 1, U.S.A.)by William Grant Still and introduced no fewer than three world premieres with theNew Works, Bold VoicesLab.The season marked the 44thyear ofOTSL’sunique partnership with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, whose membersgraciouslyjoined Opera Theatreon the parking lotto makeasocially-distancedoutdoorseason possible.
The 2021 Outdoor Festival Seasonalso marked the beginning of “Phyllis’ Seats,” a new freeticket initiative named afterOTSL’slateboardmember Phyllis Brissenden, one ofthe company’smost generous donors.At everyperformance, 30tickets wereofferedto the community;at least39% of Phyllis’ Seats userswere new to Opera Theatreand another 10% had not attended the opera since 2015 or even earlier.The ground-breaking program— the first of its kind at a major American opera company —willexpand to 50tickets per performancefor the 2022Festival Season.
Opera Theatre’s contributed support in 2021 exceeded $7 million, a 4% increase over contributed support in the 2019 fiscal year. Revenue from new donor households increased by 140%, with311 new donor households contributing an average gift of $425.
With thecloseof the 2021 fiscal year comes the end ofNoémiK.Neidorff’stenure as Board Chairman, which began in October 2015and concluded on October 26, 2021.Focusing particularly on active board engagement and inclusion,Neidorffencouraged smaller groups of board members toparticipatein regularly held, open dialogue in intimate, informal settings.Duringher tenure,Neidorffalsoled the search thatresulted inAndrew Jorgensen’s appointment asOpera Theatre’sGeneral Director in 2018;spearheaded fundraising thatensured 50% compensation for all seasonalemployeeswhen the pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 Festival Season;andchampioned issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion(EDI)for OTSL withan assessment of the company’spastpractices, the establishment of a newEDIboard committee, and a continued focus ondiverseboard recruitment.These measures will assist OTSL in creatingand assessingmetricsfor accountabilityin future years.
NoémiNeidorffand her husband MichaelNeidorffhave provided inspiring leadership support for Opera Theatre’s programming, andNeidorffled fundraising effortsfor Opera Theatrethat totaled more than $93million during her six-year tenure as chairman,including the generousbequest of $48.4million from Phyllis Brissenden.
“My time as Board Chairman at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis has been one of the most fulfillingexperiences ofmy life,” saidNeidorff. “I am so inspired by the OTSLstaff andmy fellow members of the Board of Directors,who have always gone above and beyondtobring people together through the power and beauty of opera.It has been a joy to helpOpera Theatre grow and succeed over the lastsixyears, andI look forward to continuing tosupportthis companyfor many more yearsasan executive committeemember,volunteer, and audience member.”
SucceedingNeidorffasBoard Chairman is KimEberlein, who has served on OTSL’sBoardsince 2005 and theExecutiveCommitteesince 2006.Eberleinholds a master’s degree in public health administration andserved as a senior administrator at several Harvard institutionsbefore moving to St. Louis in 1999.Herwork withOTSL’sBoardof Directors has included servingas chair of the2021-2026strategic planning process,in addition tochairingtheCorporate SponsorshipCommitteeand—along with her husbandDr.TimEberlein—the 2019 Spring Gala.In addition to heradvocacy for Opera Theatre,Eberlein’sother notable philanthropic workincludesserving as board memberorchair of Safe Connections, the St. Louis SymphonyOrchestra, the St. Louis Art Museum, the Missouri Historical Society, the St. Louis Visionary Awards, the Washington University National Council for Student Affairs,and the Washington University Women’s Society.She has received much deserved recognition for her work in the St. Louiscommunity, including the 2012St. LouisVisionary Awardas Major Contributor to the Arts, the 2013 Woman of Achievement Award, and “Champion of the Arts” fromthe Arts & Education Councilin 2016.
“I’m incredibly honoredto besteppingintothis role,andit isareal pleasureto follow in the steps of a leader as dynamic andinspiring asNoémiNeidorff,” saidEberlein. “Being involved with Opera Theatrehas already been such a gift, and I look forward to working more closely with this remarkable staff and board.I’mcommitted to expanding Opera Theatre’s efforts to connect and engage our communities, while continuing its legacy of artistic innovation and fiscal accountability.”
This moment of leadership transition comes at an exciting time as OTSL continues to evolveits tools for discovering and engaging new audiences.Digital streaming became an important vehicleforreaching new audiencesin 2020–2021; OTSL’s educational program Opera on the Go!pivotedfrom in-schoolperformances tovirtual classroompresentations andended up reachingmore than 87,000 childrenin all 50 states and 11 countries, including South Africa, Kazakhstan, and Germany. The 2021 Outdoor Festival Season also marked the first that was professionally captured on videofor on-demand streaming; sales from thatcontentreached46states andnearly 59% ofthosestreamingaudiences were new to Opera Theatre.
Even international audiences were introduced to Opera Theatre of Saint Louisvia the Metropolitan Opera,whichopenedits2021-22season withTerence Blanchardand KasiLemmons’Fire Shut Upin My Bonesand broadcast the same title to movie theaters across the world through its Met in HD series on October 23, 2021.This opera(the Metropolitan Opera’s first-ever production by a Black composer and Black librettist)wasoriginallycommissionedby OTSL and co-commissioned by Jazz St.Louis andpremieredat Opera Theatrein 2019.Fire Shut Up in My Boneshasgarnered rave reviewsfromthe national press.Fire Shut Up in My Bonesis slated to appear at the Lyric Opera of Chicagoin March 2022and LA Opera ina future season.
Despitethe interruption of COVID-19, OTSLhas continued to deepenitscommitment to EDI, with one ofits most notableendeavors beingthelaunchof the Clayco Future Leaders Fellowship, a program designed to cultivate future leaders in arts administration who come from underrepresented backgrounds.OTSL also partnered with Washington University’s Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, & Equity to host a two-night symposium exploring the canon of Black composers and the current reality of the Black experience onstage and behind the scenes. Entitled “Belonging in Opera: Learning from Our Past, Engaging with Our Future,” and led by Naomi André, Professor of Music at University of Michigan, the discussion includedacclaimed scholars, artists, composers, and opera administrators.Other efforts to expand accessibility included the addition ofaudio descriptionservicesfor theblind andvisuallyimpairedin the 2021 season.In addition to continuing audio description services, the 2022 Festival Season willintroduceAmerican Sign Languageinterpretersat select performancesfor those who aredeaf orhard of hearing.
“This year at Opera Theatre has presented remarkable opportunities for learning, growth, andinnovation,”saidGeneralDirector Andrew Jorgensen.“We’re grateful to the adventurous audience members who joinedusoutside for an entirely different kind of season,and to our generous donors who helped make this work possible.I’mthankfultoour board for their steadfast commitment to OTSL, and particularly toNoémiNeidorff, who led us with grace and strength.I’mlooking forwardto welcomingKimEberlein,with whom weare all excited to work,andwhohastheorganization’sutmost confidence and respect, as our newChairman of the Board.And last, but certainly not least, I amsothankful for our wonderful ArtisticDirectorJamesRobinson andall of my incredible colleagues, who inspire me every day with their dedication, hard work, and creativity.”
Opera Theatre’s 2022Festival Season runs May 21– June 26and features Bizet’sCarmen,Mozart’sThe Magic Flute, the world premiere ofAwakeningsby Tobias Picker and Aryeh LevStollman,the world premiere of the new performing edition of Stewart Wallace and MichaelKorie’sHarvey Milk, the annualCenter Stageconcert showcasing OTSL’s young artists, andaconcert celebrating Black Music Month, curated bysopranoAdrienneDanrich.Subscriptions for the 2022Festival Season start at just $46and can be purchased onlineorvia phone.Single ticketsare available starting at $25.For more information about the season, visitExperienceOpera.org, or call the Opera Theatre Box Office at (314) 961-0644.
