Anthony Roth Costanzo, the celebrated American countertenor who’s one in every of opera’s largest stars, will lead Opera Philadelphia as its subsequent basic director and president, the corporate introduced on Thursday.
Costanzo, 41, whose tenure begins in June, might be a uncommon determine within the classical music trade: an artist in his prime who can be working as an administrator. He mentioned he would proceed to carry out broadly at the same time as he works to reshape Opera Philadelphia, which has struggled to recuperate from the disruption of the pandemic.
“I’m actually fascinated about how I can have probably the most affect,” Costanzo mentioned in an interview. “And there’s solely a lot you are able to do as a person artist.”
Stephen Ok. Klasko, the chair of Opera Philadelphia’s board of administrators, mentioned Costanzo rose to the highest of a listing of 40 candidates due to his eagerness to draw new audiences and type new partnerships as the corporate appears to be like for a sustainable enterprise mannequin.
“He’s enthusiastic, he’s optimistic,” Klasko mentioned, “and he sees our future as being an entity that goes past opera.”
At Opera Philadelphia, Costanzo will oversee fund-raising, enterprise technique, viewers improvement, neighborhood initiatives and creative planning. Klasko mentioned that whereas Costanzo didn’t have conventional credentials, the board was impressed by his work as a artistic producer and impresario. Costanzo has curated festivals, for instance, on the New York Philharmonic.
“He’s actually had a fairly various background,” Klasko mentioned. “And he’s carried out a fairly darn good job on the enterprise aspect of issues.”
Costanzo will succeed David B. Devan, who introduced final 12 months that he would depart the corporate this spring after 13 years.
Costanzo performs usually on the world’s main phases. He has additionally led an array of initiatives outdoors opera, like “Solely an Octave Aside,” a present with the cabaret artist Justin Vivian Bond.
Costanzo will take the reins at a difficult time for Opera Philadelphia, which has lengthy had a repute as a haven for progressive and bold work.
Because the pandemic, the corporate, based in 1975, has slashed its price range, eradicated workers positions and decreased the variety of performances. Subsequent season, the price range is $10 million, down from $15.6 million for the 2018-19 season; there might be 9 performances, in contrast with 30 earlier than. Opera Philadelphia, which has by no means had a considerable endowment, is extremely depending on ticket gross sales and new donations.
Opera firms throughout the US are scuffling with rising prices and lingering monetary ache from the pandemic. The Metropolitan Opera in New York has withdrawn about $70 million from its endowment over the previous two seasons to assist cowl prices.
Opera Philadelphia’s leaders have tried to get past the corporate’s woes by intensifying fund-raising efforts and forming alliances with different cultural establishments. The corporate introduced final month that it will work with the Apollo Theater in Harlem to develop new operatic works by Black artists.
Costanzo mentioned Opera Philadelphia’s future would contain new collaborations. “We have now to convey opera into the zeitgeist in numerous methods,” he mentioned, “whether or not or not it’s by way of trend, grass-roots engagement or different means.”
“We have now to create a type of groundswell and buzz,” he added.
Costanzo, who grew up in Durham, N.C., started his relationship with Opera Philadelphia in 1996, when he was 14 and carried out as a shepherd boy in a manufacturing of Puccini’s “Tosca,” starring Luciano Pavarotti. On the finish of the opera, Costanzo recalled, Pavarotti prolonged his hand, inviting Costanzo to affix him for a bow.
Costanzo returned to Opera Philadelphia as an grownup in 2011 for a manufacturing of Henze’s “Phaedra.” In 2018, he produced and starred within the operatic artwork set up “Glass Handel” on the firm’s Pageant O in 2018, elevating practically $1 million to cowl the prices of the challenge.
In Philadelphia, he mentioned he was desirous to program extra small-scale works and modern music, along with conventional choices. He additionally needs to rethink the corporate’s fund-raising technique.
“I method all the things I do with creativity,” he mentioned, “as a result of I started as and nonetheless am an artist.”
