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 Esther Nelson to lead New England’s largest opera company
Steven P. Akin, Chairman of the Board of Boston Lyric Opera (BLO), announced on August 5, 2008 that Esther Nelson will become BLO’s new General and Artistic Director effective September 2, 2008. She succeeds Janice Mancini Del Sesto who served as General Director for nearly 17 years. The appointment follows an eight month executive search precipitated by Ms. Del Sesto’s announcement in November 2007 to complete her tenure at BLO at the end of her contract.
“The Board is extremely confident in Esther’s abilities to work closely with BLO’s talented staff to build upon Jan’s significant accomplishments,” Mr. Akin said. “The collaborative process, not only between Jan and Esther during the transition but also between Esther and BLO’s stakeholders going forward will undoubtedly facilitate the elevation of the Company’s cultural prominence in Boston and beyond.”
Ms. Nelson’s experience in opera and the performing arts spans three decades. Prior to her recent position as a Management Consultant to artistic associations in New York, Virginia, Tennessee, Maine and Germany, Ms. Nelson spent six years as the General Director/CEO of Glimmerglass Opera, an internationally renowned opera festival in Cooperstown, NY. During that time, the company expanded its artistic growth, dramatically increased ticket revenue, fundraising, special events and education outreach, and nearly doubled its annual budget. Shortly before Ms. Nelson’s departure in 2002, Glimmerglass enjoyed an accumulated surplus and an Endowment growth. Her leadership of the prestigious company earned her a professional citation from the Governor of New York.
“I am delighted that our succession plan for my departure has resulted in the appointment of Esther Nelson,” Ms. Del Sesto said. “During her tenure at Glimmerglass, one of BLO’s co-production partners, I had a wonderful working relationship with her and gained great respect for her leadership, her intelligence, her aesthetic sense, and her warmth and sense of humor. I am so pleased she will succeed me and I’m committed to ensuring BLO’s ongoing success by facilitating a smooth transition in leadership over the next few months.”
Del Sesto’s nearly 17 years of stewardship at BLO will be honored at the Company’s annual Gala on September 27. During her tenure, BLO grew from 64th in size to 26th out of 116 U.S. opera companies and became the largest in New England, attracting audiences from all six states. The Company has been the catalyst for history-making and award-winning initiatives in Boston.
Press release
Q&A
Media inquiries should be directed to Mia Howard, Marketing and Communications Manager, at mhoward@blo.org or 617.542.4912 x240.
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