The new post-pandemic realities of the arts landscape present new challenges as performing arts organizations try to adjust their programming, ticketing and other strategies. In one of the latest examples, Opera Philadelphia this week announced a plan to cut five positions, postpone one production and drop its online Opera Philadelphia channel, a subscription-based streaming service it offered patrons during the pandemic. In addition, President and General Director David Devan said he will leave when his contract expires next May at the end of the 2023-2024 season, a decision he made in order to allow new leadership to chart the course for the opera company that has made a name for itself for nurturing contemporary composers and new commissions under his watch.
A Tempo host Rachel Katz this week chats with Devan about these decisions and his thoughts on how the pandemic has changed the opera world.
