News: July 2000

Congress Designates Washington Opera as National Opera

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

he United States Congress recently designated The Washington Opera as The National Opera. Placido Domingo, the company's artistic director, commented, "I am thrilled that the new designation of our company reflects the fact that it is in the nation's capital and therefore belongs to a wide, national audience. European opera companies, in cities where the government functions, have often reflected that fact in their titles, to wit Berlin's Deutsche Oper, Vienna's State Opera, London's Royal Opera Covent Garden, Amsterdam's Netherlands Opera, and so forth. From an artistic standpoint we will strive to stress the American inspiration of the operatic art form even more than in the past."

Robert H. Craft, Jr., president of The Washington Opera's Board of Trustees, said, "We are honored by this designation. We welcome the challenge of undertaking additional programs to serve a larger national audience, expand community outreach for underprivileged youth, and other missions that embody a large national presence." The designation does not entail the awarding of federal funds.

The bill was introduced by Congressman William F. Goodling, R-Pennsylvania, and co-sponsored by Ralph Regula, R-Ohio; Tom Davis, R-Virginia; Constance Morella, R-Maryland; Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-District of Columbia; Jim Moran, D-Virginia; and Norman Dicks, D-Washington. The Senate bill was introduced by John Warner, R-Virginia, and co-sponsored by Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts; Paul Sarbanes, D-Maryland; James Jeffords, R-Vermont; and Charles Robb, D-Virginia.

This was followed by an announcement on June 13 that Walter Arnheim, the Treasurer of Mobil Corporation, has been named the Executive Director of The National Opera. He will assume the position July 1, 2000, succeeding Patricia Mossel who has served as the Opera's Executive Director since 1995. Arnheim has been Chief Executive Officer of The Washington Opera since January 2000. The Executive Director is responsible for all administrative functions and for the day-to-day running of the company.

In March, M. Gasby Greely was appointed Executive Vice President of The Washington Opera. Prior to the appointment, she served as vice president of Development for the National Urban League, director of Communications for Greenpeace, and director of Program Marketing for WNET/Thirteen. She traces her love of opera to Ollie McFarland, her music teacher at Detroit’s Central High School, who staged Aida with the students rather than the more standard musical theater fare. Greely sang the mezzo-soprano role of the Egyptian princess Amneris, Aida’s rival in the opera. Commenting on her appointment, Craft said, "Gasby Greely will be an invaluable asset to our team as we gear up for a major marketing campaign for our rapidly expanding company."