AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE

Costanzo, who has sought investment in a new vision for the future of Opera Philadelphia since he arrived in the General Director’s office on June 1, announced today that with the incredible support of the Board of Directors, Opera Philadelphia has raised over $7 million in gifts and pledges in his first ten weeks in office, allowing the company to come clean on all accrued current debt and build a dynamic, exciting new chapter.

At the start of his tenure, Costanzo was met with a budget shortfall, an accumulation of outstanding bills, and a cash crunch going into The Listeners, one of the biggest productions the company has ever mounted. Costanzo said he wanted Opera Philadelphia to move past emergency fundraising to a healthier development practice that could fuel an opera company focused on artistic innovation, audience engagement, and new, sustainable economic models.

“I cannot say enough about the ongoing generosity of the Opera Philadelphia Board of Directors. They have kept this important company alive through numerous challenges, including the pandemic,” Costanzo said. “I am incredibly grateful for their vote of confidence in Pick Your Price and the new vision for the future of Opera Philadelphia. Innovation is born of risk, and risk inherently brings the possibility of failure, but as an industry, we can no longer afford to make only safe choices. The hardest work is still ahead of us as we pave a responsible path to reach new highs. Now that we have leveled the playing field, I am eager to seek the funds that help us look forward, and I pledge to honor the Board’s commitment by working together with transparency and accountability.”

Opera Philadelphia Board Chair Stephen K. Klasko,MD, MBA, who stepped up along with several other members with a major new gift as part of the board’s contributions towards this effort, praised the work of Costanzo and the generosity of other Board members in helping the company reach financial stability and retire past debt. Dr. Klasko retired as President of Thomas Jefferson University and CEO of Jefferson Health on December 31, 2021. 

“When I left Jefferson, I wanted to take on the role as board chair to accomplish two things.” Dr. Klasko said. “First, was to bring in a world class General Director, and we have found that with Anthony. Second, was to see the company reach solid financial ground, allowing it to fully realize its mission of broadening the impact of this incredible art form. I believe Opera Philadelphia is poised not only to create meaningful experiences for the people of this city, but also to expand what the word opera means, and move the needle in the world of the arts. Pick Your Price launches that work in bold fashion, and I am proud to have worked with my colleagues on the board to make it a reality.”

HOW WILL THE NEW TICKET MODEL WORK?

Pick Your Price is accessible immediately at operaphila.org, through Opera Philadelphia’s Guest Services department at 215.732.8400, or via the Academy of Music and Kimmel Center box offices. While every seat to every show will begin at $11, patrons will have the option to select a different amount, including the standard ticket price, to help make opera more accessible. Subscription and membership packages will remain in place, providing loyal subscribers and members first access to seats and the ability to retain the same seats year after year. Group sales options also remain, as will $2 tickets for individuals from low-income households or households with disabilities via the Art-Reach ACCESS Program.

“We encourage patrons who can pick the standard price or pay more than $11 to do so knowing that each extra dollar they spend helps support operagoers who can’t afford as much,” Costanzo said. “The value of the art on stage is immeasurable, and opera remains expensive. Since its inception, it has always depended on the generosity of donors and sponsors to breathe life into the music and stories. We are seeking support to help keep this program vibrant in subsequent years and strengthen the civic fabric of Philadelphia with this kind of access to art.”

ABOUT THE 2024-2025 SEASON

All eyes will be on Opera Philadelphia in September as the company’s 2024-2025 Season begins with the highly anticipated American Premiere of The Listeners, the newest opera from the Philadelphia-born, Grammy-nominated composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek. Their 2016 world premiere, Breaking the Waves, was a phenomenon that won the inaugural Best New Opera Award from the Music Critics Association of North America and has been performed around the world since its Philadelphia debut. Performed at the historic Academy of Music from Sept. 25-29, The Listeners is a thriller about social rejection, suburban loneliness, and the seductive power of cults and charismatic leaders in our increasingly polarized times. The story centers on a middle-class mother (soprano Nicole Heaston in her company debut) living in a southwestern U.S. suburb who notices a “hum,” a high-frequency environmental noise that only a select few people, the "Listeners,” can hear. A community organization quickly forms to solve the mystery of the hum, but when the de facto leader (Kevin Burdette) suggests a spiritual significance, the meetings become increasingly cult-like. Is this community of “Listeners” on a collision course with destruction? 

Winter brings the company premiere of The Anonymous Lover, a 1780 opera by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799), who is widely regarded as the first Black classical composer known to history and was the subject of the spring 2023 film Chevalier. Soprano Symone Harcum makes her company debut as Léontine. Tenor Khanyiso Gwenxane, who impressed in the title role of 2022’s Otello, returns in a role debut as her secret admirer, Valcour. The season closes in spring with a new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni directed by Alison Moritz, with baritone Timothy Murray making his Opera Philadelphia debut in the title role and Canadian soprano Olivia Smith in her company debut as Donna Anna.

“In the 2024-2025 Season, Opera Philadelphia will continue to bring beloved classics, rare gems, and modern masterpieces to the Academy of Music stage, championing and advancing the art form for our community,” said Corrado Rovaris, Opera Philadelphia’s Jack Mulroney Music Director. “I am thrilled to begin the season with The Listeners by our former Composer in Residence Missy Mazzoli and her longtime collaborator Royce Vavrek. Their 2016 world premiere of Breaking the Waves was a seminal moment in the history of our company, and the Academy is the ideal home for the American Premiere of this grand new opera they have created.”