Springfield Regional Opera last month hired two new leaders as the board restructures the organization.
Christopher Koch was named music director, and Michael Spyres came on as artistic director, said board President Cindy Curtis. Koch will continue to serve as associate professor of music and director of the orchestra and wind symphony at Drury University, as well as music director of the Springfield-Drury Civic Orchestra. Spyres is an
international opera singer who got his start at SRO, said Curtis.
“They’ll be working together,” Curtis said, noting they’d report to the board. “There’s some amazing talent in this community and we really want to make sure that the people in Springfield get to experience an opera.”
Tim Caldwell, who became managing director of SRO in
July 2012, no longer is with the opera, and the managing director role has been eliminated, Curtis said, declining to disclose when and why Caldwell left. She noted, however, SRO did not have a music director at the end of last season.
“We were happy with his service, but he’s moved on,” she said, noting SRO did not have a music director at the end of last season.
As part of the restructuring effort, Curtis said SRO would return to its roots, bringing in different orchestras for shows and focusing on one large performance per year.
“It’s healthy for any organization to really take a look at itself, and just reassess and look at what we’re doing,” she said, noting the 13-member board also would like to bring on more members. “We’ve had a presence here for quite some time, and we really want to look back and honor those roots.”
On Oct. 3, Koch and Spyres are scheduled to make their debut during a gala celebrating SRO’s 35th season. The concert, in collaboration with the Springfield-Drury Civic Orchestra, is slated to be held at Drury’s Clara Thompson Hall. Curtis said SRO also is working with The Texas Tenors to host a joint effort in Branson at the end of September.[[In-content Ad]]
