Remember those 50 Ways to Kill an Opera Company?. Well, it looks like they’re working.
Jeff Sodowsky, the executive director of Opera Cleveland, who was on the job for less than a year, has been axed. In fact, his entire position was eliminated, according to the Plain Dealer. Also gone is Judith Ryder, a dedicated employee who ran educational programs for the opera for 30 years.
Just one season after its merger—a painful move that combined the old Cleveland Opera and Lyric Opera Cleveland—our largest local opera company is still having major financial problems. In addition to the layoffs, board leaders decided to shrink next year’s production count from five shows to three.
Meanwhile, the future of the company remains uncertain. Sodowsky was heralded as a business-savvy pragmatist who might actually be able to save the sinking ship [“The Fat Lady’s Finale?” March 7]. Losing him can’t be pleasant, especially since the company has just hired a new artistic director, who may not be comforted by the mass exodus of his colleagues. — Lisa Rab
This article appears in Oct 3-9, 2007.
This is the letter sent to Opera Cleveland in response to a grant request which came in just before Judith Ryder was “released”:
As one who has loved, worked for, and supported Cleveland Opera in many capacities since its birth in 1977, I cannot begin to say how distressing I find the news that Opera Cleveland has released Judith Ryder (OPERA CLEVELAND CUTS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THREE OTHER JOBS, PLAIN DEALER, 9/28/07). One of the company’s greatest assets was Cleveland Opera on Tour– the company’s education and touring wing– which was developed by Judith Ryder, and which won the 1998 Ohio Governor’s Award for Arts in Education. Working as a music mentor for the MUSIC! WORDS! OPERA! program which she implemented in 1991, I saw first-hand what a difference Ms. Ryder’s work made in the lives of thousands of children in northeast Ohio. Judith Ryder’s contributions are immeasurable, not only to the opera company, but to the schools and communities touched by her programs. It breaks my heart that Opera Cleveland is measuring those assets with a financial yardstick.
The Cyrus Eaton Foundation, too, has been proud to support the opera company annually since 1977, when my mother, Anne Eaton – whose place I took on the Board – was responsible for the very first grant by any foundation to the then “New Cleveland Opera Companyâ€.
Since 2004, we have focused our grant-making on your education and touring wing, in the belief that despite the opera company’s upheavals, at least Judith Ryder’s marvelous Opera on Tour would still be working its magic to create and ensure future opera audiences—after all, to quote Peter Rubin, ” It’s not just about 2008.”
Last year, for the first time, the Foundation did not receive an application from the opera, which is why I wrote to request that you send a grant proposal for the benefit of Opera Cleveland on Tour for 2007. However, I think you will understand why the Foundation is unwilling to consider your proposal. In fact, we regret to say that with the dismissal of Judith Ryder, Opera Cleveland has brought to an end a thirty-year history of support, advocacy, and admiration by the Cyrus Eaton Foundation.
Very truly yours,
ALICE J. GULICK
Secretary of the Board
The Cyrus Eaton Foundation