Seattle Opera

Jenkins’ friendship with Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson and his commitment to the works of Wagner, who Nilsson performed to much acclaim in her career as an opera singer, are some of the reasons he was chosen, said Seattle Opera spokesperson Tamara Vallejos in an e-mail. Jenkins has been the general director of the Seattle Opera since 1983.

The prize of $1 million, the largest amount ever given in the history of classical music, will be awarded to Italian conductor Riccardo Muti at the Royal Opera in Stockholm, Sweeden October 13, according to the Birgit Nilsson Foundation.

This is the second time the international Birgit Nilsson Prize has been awarded, the first being in 2009. The prize is awarded every 2-3 years.

From the Birgit Nilsson press release:

The philosophy behind the Birgit Nilsson Prize is to perpetuate the legacy of Ms. Nilsson and Sweden’s great operatic tradition by paying tribute to today’s legendary, active figures in music, recognizing the excellence of their work and their major contributions.

Bury is currently the Director of Development for the Florida Grand Opera in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.  Prior to this she worked as Senior Director of Development for the Arizona Opera, and in various positions with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Florida Grand Opera, and the Long Beach Symphony.

“We are more than fortunate to have Lisa Bury join us as our new Development Director,” General Director Speight Jenkins said in the release. “Her extensive development experience at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Florida Grand Opera, Arizona Opera, and her rich opera knowledge and performance experience make her ideal for Seattle Opera.”

Bury, who is a trained violist and music educator, first fell in love with the Seattle Opera when she saw a performance of Wagner’s Ring in the early ‘90s.

“The company’s unwavering commitment to the art form is inspiring to me,” Bury said.  “Now more than ever, innovation and flexibility must join forces with focused communication for opera companies to remain relevant to the audiences and communities they serve.”

In her new role, Bury will supervise the development department, which is working toward an annual funding goal of $13 million, and create a funding strategy to support the company’s ambitious artistic goals for the future.

The Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences will be the production sponsor for Amelia with a generous gift of $300,000. Featuring music by American composer Daron Aric Hagen, an intensely personal libretto by American poet and writer Gardner McFall, and a story by Stephen Wadsworth, Amelia is Seattle Opera’s first commissioned work during General Director Speight Jenkins’ tenure.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant will be used over a four-year period to support the production and presentation of contemporary opera at Seattle Opera and at two additional American opera companies. The grant will provide funding that will underwrite rental and royalty expenses for up to two other companies to present Amelia. It will also cover the cost of set and costume modifications undertaken by Seattle Opera to make the opera compatible with multiple companies.  A percentage of the grant will fund any necessary score or libretto revisions and will fund audience development materials that can be shared in the various cities. By subsidizing some of the costs of presenting a new work, the grant will help reduce the financial risk during challenging economic times and help establish Amelia as an important addition to American opera. Seattle Opera intends to design and implement an overall community strategy and audience development plan that would follow Amelia from one city to the next.

It is the hope that this groundbreaking collaboration with The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will create a new model for opera companies that will encourage the development and performance of contemporary opera.