A new era begins. 2014 ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Friends of MOT, Michigan Opera Theatre is among our nation’s leading opera companies and I am delighted to be back in Detroit to work with founder and artistic director David DiChiera and a dedicated Board of Directors under the Chairmanship of R. Jamison Williams. My wife Brenda and I are appreciative to all who have extended many kindnesses to us since our arrival early in the year. One of the points of distinction of MOT in comparison with other opera companies in the nation is that our organization consists of three distinct operations: 1) Michigan Opera Theatre: the production and presentation of operas and musical theatre, along with the presentation of dance and education/community programs; 2) Detroit Opera House: the performance venue for MOT presentations and the Broadway Series of the Nederlander organization; a learning center for dance, choral, and other educational activities; and a highly sought- after venue for concerts, conferences, graduations, and other events; and 3) Opera House Parking & Retail Center. Concurrent with an exciting and vibrant range of artistic offerings this past season, members of the Board and Staff have been involved with a planning process designed to address the next phase for MOT. Since the beginning of the year, the Boston based firm TDC, one of the leading consultant agencies in the nation, has been working diligently with Michigan Opera Theatre to assist our organization with a strategic planning initiative. As part of this initiative, there have been a series of audience surveys and focus groups, and several strategic ideas have been tested. The emerging results are highly informative, and among the preliminary findings we have learned: 1) MOT continues to be highly regarded by its core audience; 2) subscribers and multiple event purchasers believe that the quality of performances are on par with the nation’s leading opera houses; and 3) audience members believe that going to the opera offers a sense of occasion. One of the most surprising outcomes of our preliminary work was to learn that over the past two years, the audience reach for MOT performances has extended throughout the Great Lakes and beyond. In today’s mobile society, we have discovered that MOT performances attracted audiences from ten states and our reach into Canada is growing steadily. In accordance with these findings, there is much work to be done to engage our regional audience, affirm our commitment to high quality performance experiences, strengthen our educational offerings, create strategic alliances with area arts organizations and educational institutions, and become a key player in civic projects. All of these steps will need to conform with available resources to address an emerging vision. The current phase of the planning process is expected to be concluded by the end of the calendar year. MOT is appreciative to the Kresge Foundation for their support of this important work and we look forward to sharing the results with our stakeholders by the spring of 2015. Thank you for your investment in our work to make high quality opera, musical theater, dance, and education/community programs available in Southeastern Michigan. Because of all of you, 2014 was a terrific season! Warm regards, Wayne S. Brown President and Chief Executive Officer 2 MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE FROM THE CHAIRMAN The Great Transition he most significant event of MOT’s 2013-14 fiscal Tyear was the “Great Transition”: the change in leadership triggered by David DiChiera’s decision in February of 2013 to retire as Founding General Director after 42 years of extraordinary service. Many cultural organizations led by iconic figures have foundered or collapsed under such conditions. So it was with a daunting sense of responsibility to the future of our organization that the MOT Board began the process of Rick Williams, Wayne S. Brown and David DiChiera finding a worthy successor. and the City of Detroit. as a supernumerary for a touring Our first step was to form a Search To help us in our search, the company of the Met, graduated from Committee of Michigan Opera Theatre Committee engaged Catherine French, the University of Michigan’s School of Board members, Betty Brooks, Dodie a highly respected arts recruiter, as a Music (where he met his wife, Brenda David, Ethan Davidson, Sandy consultant to conduct a nationwide Kee, an accomplished pianist), led Duncan, David DiChiera, Herman search. The search yielded many able the Louisville Orchestra and spent Frankel, Barbara Kratchman, and Al applicants but ultimately we shifted 17 distinguished years with the Lucarelli, to address job description to the recruitment mode which National Endowment for the Arts and structure. Importantly, the fortunately led us to Wayne S. Brown. where he was responsible for music Committee decided to bifurcate the As you know by now, Wayne grew and opera. In November, we appointed executive and artistic roles that had up in Detroit, as a youngster acted Wayne as President and Chief been combined in one position since Executive Officer of MOT. the founding of MOT. This decision I am excited for the future of our was aided by David’s agreement to organization under Wayne’s leadership; retain the role of Artistic Director for working collaboratively with David, he a transitional period. That enabled the is building on the extraordinary history Committee to focus our search on a of Michigan Opera Theatre. Our future leader with a significant background is bright and the best is yet to come. in the art forms of opera, music and dance, but whose primary attributes were based on demonstrated, successful experience in executive and administrative functions in arts R. Jamison Williams organizations. Our new leader also had to be committed to building on the historical connection between MOT ANNUAL REPORT 2014 3 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013-2014 July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014 Mr. R. Jamison Williams Mrs. Robert A. Allesee Mr. Herman Frankel Mr. Daniel Pehrson Directors Emeriti Chairman Mr. Douglas F. Allison Mr. Dean Friedman Dr. Charlotte Podowski Mrs. Donald C. Austin Mr. Joseph Angileri Mr. Richard G. Goetz Mr. W. James Prowse Mr. J. Addison Bartush Wayne S. Brown Mr. Lee Barthel Mr. John P. Hale Mrs. Ruth Rattner Mr. Frank W. Donovan † President Mr. Richard A. Brodie Mr. David Handleman Mr. Roy S. Roberts Dr. Marjorie M. Fisher David DiChiera Mrs. William C. Brooks Mrs. Peter Karmanos Dr. Bernard Rubin Mr. James H. Gram † Founder and Artistic Director Mr. Robert Brown Mrs. Michael Kratchman Ms. Elham Shayota Mrs. William Johnston † Mrs. Frederick H. Clark Mr. Thomas M. Krikorian Mr. Terry Shea Ms. Jennifer Nasser Mr. Cameron B. Duncan Mrs. Peter Cooper Ms. Melody Lee Mr. Matthew Simoncini Mr. David Pollack † Treasurer Ms. Joanne Danto Mr. Harry A. Lomason II Mr. Richard Sonenklar Mrs. Irving Rose Mr. C. Thomas Toppin Julia Donovan Darlow Mr. Alphonse S. Lucarelli Dr. Lorna Thomas Mr. William Sandy Secretary Mr. Ethan Davidson Denise Lutz Mr. George C. Vincent Mr. Frank Stella † Mrs. Charles M. Endicott Mr. Donald Manvell Mr. Robert VanderKloot † Mr. Paul E. Ewing Dr. Ali Moiin Chairmen Emeriti Mr. Richard Webb Mrs. David Fischer Mrs. Manuel Moroun Mr. Robert E. Dewar † Mr. George M. Zeltzer † Mrs. Barbara Frankel Dr. Stephen Munk Mr. Lynn A. Townsend † Mr. Mort Zieve † BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2013-2014 July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014 Mr. & Mrs. Kenn Allen Mrs. Charles M. Endicott Dr. & Mrs. Kim K. Lie Dr. & Mrs. Hershel Sandberg Mr.† & Mrs.† Maxwell Mr. & Mrs. Robert A. Allesee Mr. & Mrs. Alex Erdeljan Mr. & Mrs. A. C. Liebler Mr. & Mrs. Donald Schmidt Jospey Mr. & Mrs. Douglas F. Dr. Fern R. Espino Mr. & Mrs. Harry A. Mr. & Mrs. Alan E. Schwartz Dr.† Zophia and Mr.† Allison & Mr. Thomas Short Lomason II Mr. & Mrs. Mark Shaevsky Mitchell Kafarski Dr. Lourdes V. Andaya Mr. & Mrs. Paul E. Ewing Mr. & Mrs. James H. LoPrete Mrs. Frank C. Shaler Mr. & Mrs. Robert Klein Julie Douse-Angileri & Margo Cohen Feinberg Mr. Alphonse S. Lucarelli Ms. Elham Shayota Mrs. Walton Lewis † Joseph Angileri & Robert Feinberg Mrs. Denise Lutz Mr. Terry Shea Mrs. Jesse Mann † Dr. Harold M. Arrington Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Feldman Mr. Donald Manvel Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Mrs. Wade H. McCree Jr. † Mrs. Edward Avadenka Mr. & Mrs. David Fischer Ms. Florine Mark Simoneini Mr. & Mrs. Jules L. Pollone Mr. & Mrs. Lee Barthel Dr. Marjorie M. Fisher Dr. & Mrs. Ronald Martella Mr. William H. Smith Mrs. Ralph Polk† Mr. J. Addison Bartush Mr & Mrs. Carl B. Fontana The Hon. Jack Martin Ms. Phyllis Funk Snow Mr.† & Mrs.† David Pollock Mr. & Mrs. Mark Alan Baun Mrs. Elaine Fontana & Dr. Bettye Arrington- Mr. & Mrs. David Snyder Mr. & Mrs. William Sandy Mrs. Ara Berberian Mrs. Barbara Frankel Martin Mr. Anthony L. Soave Mr.† & Mrs.† Fred Mr. & Mrs. Mandell Berman & Mr. Ron Michalak Mrs. Richard McBrien Mr. Richard A. Sonenklar & Schneidewind Ms. Debra Bernstein-Siegel Herman & Sharon Frankel Mr. & Mrs. Eugene A. Miller Mr. Gregory Haynes Mr. † & Mrs. Richard Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Bloch Mr. & Mrs. Dean Friedman Ms. Monica Moffat Ms. Mary Ann Stella Starkweather Mr. & Mrs. John A. Boll, Sr. Mrs. James Garavaglia Dr. Ali Moiin Dr. Calvin Stevens Mrs. Mark C. Stevens † Mr. Gene P. Bowen Ambassador & Mrs. Yousif & Dr. William Kupsky Mrs. George Strumbos Mrs. Lynn Townsend † Mr. & Mrs. Richard Bowlby Ghafari Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Dr. Jonathan Swift Mr.† & Mrs.† Robert Betty J. Bright Mr. & Mrs. Richard G. Goetz Monolidis Mr. Ronald F. Switzer & VanderKloot Mr. & Mrs. Richard A. Brodie Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Gordon Mr. & Mrs. Manuel Moroun Mr. Jim F. McClure Mr. & Mrs. Paul Victor Mr. & Mrs. William C. Mr. & Mrs. Harvey Grace Drs. Barbara & Stephen Dr. Lorna Thomas Mr.† & Mrs.† Alvin Brooks Mr.