Seattle Opera announced today that its general director, Christine Scheppelmann, will take on the reins at La Monnaie/De Munt in Brussels, Belgium, in 2025, after her five-year contract in Seattle concludes.
“I love being here,” Scheppelmann told Seattle Times‘ Janet I. Tu. “But they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
Scheppelmann is the fourth general director in the company’s history. Her final season will therefore be the already announced 2023-24 season, which begins in August.
Regarding the search for Scheppelmann’s successor, Seattle Opera indicated only this: “Seattle Opera’s Board of Trustees is committed to continuing to produce the highest-quality artistic experiences and programming with artists from around the world. The board invites the community to celebrate the achievements of Scheppelmann’s tenure and looks forward to new artistic and programming opportunities that will grow opera audiences for the future.” Meanwhile, Seattle Symphony continues to lack a music director — that search is still under way, with no update on its progress.
“Under Scheppelmann’s leadership, the company produced a world premiere, launched cornerstone programs, expanded its community partnerships, and brought over 100 new artists to Seattle for company debuts, with nearly 50 coming from abroad,” according to Seattle Opera’s press release.
“Leading Seattle Opera is a tremendous opportunity,” said Scheppelmann, who came to Seattle from the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. “The company boasts an incredible staff, orchestra, chorus, and crew, as well as a wonderful, supportive audience, all of whom I will miss greatly. I love this city and the opera community in this region, which has welcomed me wholeheartedly. I could not pass up the opportunity to lead one of the great European opera companies while also being closer to my family. But for now, there is much work to do and more opera to come in the year ahead, and I look forward to sharing what we have in store.”
“Seattle Opera has been fortunate to collaborate with a general director of Christina’s caliber, and thanks to her leadership, the company is well positioned to build on its successes,” said Board President Lesley Chapin Wyckoff. “That Christina has accepted an offer to head one of Europe’s most important opera companies is a testament to her abilities and her excellent work in Seattle, which has ensured a bright, promising future for Seattle Opera. We could not be more proud of what she has accomplished here and we wish her the best in this exciting new opportunity.”
Filed under: music news, Seattle Opera
MEMETERIA by Thomas May 