Louise Dieterle Nippert, who established an $85 million fund to support classical music in Greater Cincinnati

CINCINNATI OPERA

Q&AAbout music hAll

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Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts FundIn December 2009, Louise Nippert gave a record-setting gift of $85 million to establish the new Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, intended to support classical music of the highest quality in Greater Cincinnati. 75% of the Fund’s distributions are designated for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and will provide it with approximately $3 million in annual support. 12% is designated for Cincinnati Opera, providing approximately $500,000 annually, and 5% is for Cincinnati Ballet, providing approximately

$200,000 annually. Another 8% will support other professional musical arts institutions. The annual allocation received by Cincinnati Opera will support the CSO’s continued status as the Opera’s resident orchestra. This gift does not erase the Opera’s ongoing need for donor support, but it does offer a significant measure of financial stability, allowing the company to sustain the level of artistic quality our patrons have come to enjoy and expect.

Cincinnati Opera and the EconomyDuring 2009, Cincinnati Opera took a number of steps to reduce costs and find efficiencies without sacrificing artistic quality. Among the actions taken were reductions to staff salaries and benefits, fewer performances, and trimmed production expenses. Due to these measures and extraordinary patron and donor support, we ended the 2009 fiscal year with our 20th consecutive balanced budget. As we approach our 90th anniversary season this summer, we are excited to undertake one of our most ambitious seasons to date. However, due to the economic downturn, we have lost more than $750,000 in long-term support due to reductions in corporate, foundation, government, and investment income. The fundraising challenges continue to be great, but we remain steadfastly committed to fiscal responsibility and are grateful to you, our donors and patrons, for your continued support.

About Music Hall continued on back.

What’s this aboutrenovating Music Hall?It has been almost a half-century since Music Hall’s infrastructure and essential systems were significantly updated. Some aspects of the building insufficiently meet the needs and expectations of a 21st-century arts-going audience. A long overdue renovation of the building is in the planning stages, with the intent of modernizing the building’s systems and patron amenities while preserving the hall’s status as a historic architectural and musical landmark. When is the project scheduled to begin, and how long will it take?An official timeline is still in development, but preliminary plans suggest that construction could last approximately 17 months (spring 2011 through fall 2012). The auditorium will be closed for performances and events during this period; however, the Music Hall Ballroom and the Opera’s administrative offices will remain open. Where will Cincinnati Opera hold its performances while Music Hall is undergoing renovation?We are currently planning for our 2011 and 2012 Summer Festival performances to take place at the Aronoff Center for the Arts. We have conducted acoustical tests in the Aronoff ’s Procter & Gamble Hall and are pleased to report that the space will work beautifully for the presentation of opera.

January 2010 update

CONtACt Us

Administrative Office: (513) 768-5500Box Office: (513) 241-2742

www.cincinnatiopera.org

A long overdue renovation of Music Hall is scheduled tobegin in spring 2011, promising enhanced patron amenities, improved seating, and more efficient backstage operations.

three Operasin 2010Cincinnati Opera’s 90th Summer Festival is a departure from our normal lineup of four productions. In 2010, we’ll present three grand operas in spectacular, new-to-Cincinnati productions. All of them are true masterworks, but

one is extraordinary, requiring nearly double the resources and rehearsal time of a standard piece: Wagner’s joyful and profound Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. It will be a thrilling, celebratory opening for the anniversary season. For 2011 we will return to our usual four-opera schedule.

tickets for the Gala ConcertCincinnati Opera will celebrate the Big 9-0 witha grand concert at Music Hall on June 19, featuring star singers, special guests, the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, and the CSO along with special-guest conductors, including James Levine. Patron and Grand Patron tickets, which include an elegant dinner before the concert, begin at $500 and are available by calling Sneja Tomassian, Director of Development, at (513) 768-5527. Tickets for the concert-only will be available in advance to subscribers beginning mid-April–pricing willbe announced in spring 2010. We will send youan invitation in March to purchase tickets forthe concert.

Washington ParkIn spring 2010, the gravel lot currently located at the north end of Washington Park on Elm Street, directly across from Music Hall, will be converted to green space as part of a major revitalization project of the park by 3CDC. In its place will be a new 500-space underground parking garage, scheduled to open in 2011. We will be in touch with you about alternate parking sites in advance of our 2010 season performances.

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About Music Hall continued.

Why is the planning process takingso long, and who is managing it?Put simply, the renovation of Music Hall is extraordinarily complex. The building serves a wide variety of purposes, and a thoughtful balance of priorities must be found to meet these diverse needs. A working group is guiding the planning process, led by the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) who manages the Hall for the City of Cincinnati (which owns Music Hall), representatives from Music Hall’s tenant organizations, and other key stakeholders, including the Society for the Preservation of Music Hall. This group has worked in close cooperation for several years, and we look forward to sharing more specific details of the renovation plans in coming months.

How much will the project cost,and who will pay for it?Budget estimates for the Music Hall renovation project are not yet final—we hope to be able to announce more details very soon. Meanwhile, CAA, the CSO, May Festival, Ballet, and Opera are working with a professional consultant to develop a plan to raise funds for the renovation from a variety of sources. What will Music Hall be likewhen it reopens?Of utmost importance is maintaining Music Hall’s architectural integrity and historic grandeur, along with its legendary acoustics. (A professional acoustician is involved in the planning process.) Additionally, the renovation will greatly enhance the audience’s experience by offering added comfort, better sightlines to the stage, and other patron conveniences and amenities consistent with21st-century performing arts facilities.

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Plans for the renovated Washington Park: Views from Race Street (top) and Music Hall (bottom)

2010 illustration promoting Cincinnati Opera’s La Bohème