From Music in Cincinnati

Cincinnati Opera, concert:nova Enter Strategic Partnership

Posted in: 2015

By Mary Ellyn Hutton
Apr 14, 2015 - 4:27:37 PM

Cincinnati Opera and the chamber ensemble concert:nova have entered into a strategic partnership.
   The new arrangement, the first of its kind for either company, is the natural outgrowth of previous collaborations and will allow concert:nova to focus on its artistic product while strengthening its administrative infrastructure through the resources of Cincinnati Opera.
   “We selected concert:nova as our first strategic partner for a number of reasons,” said Patricia K. Beggs, general director and CEO of Cincinnati Opera. “It’s a proven, stable organization with great talent; we admire the work they have produced; and we have previously partnered with them on two successful projects: 'Maria de Buenos Aires' in 2012 and the Cincinnati Remembers World War I concert 're:member:' in February, 2014. We knew their artistic product was very strong, but they lacked administrative support, and we felt that we had the organizational capacity to solve that problem."
   “By utilizing Cincinnati Opera’s infrastructure, we can spend more time crafting truly unique concert experiences and developing our education initiative,” said Ixi Chen, managing artistic director of concert:nova.
   “The strategic partnership is not intended to influence the artistic product,” said Murray Sinclaire, Jr. president of Cincinnati Opera. “Another reason for selecting concert:nova is that our two companies are very artistically different, with well-recognized and distinct brands.”
   Founded in 2007, concert:nova was formed to blend the traditional and the contemporary by performing chamber music with a visual twist. It combines musicians of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra with guest artists and creative collaborators in film, sculpture, the sciences, culinary arts, ballet, opera and theater with the objective of breaking down barriers between audience and performers for an interactive and engaging concert experience.
   Through the partnership, Cincinnati Opera will provide concert:nova with office and rehearsal space, equipment and software, and the companies will share an employee. Cincinnati Opera staff will also play an advisory role in certain administrative areas.