OPERA America has announced the second round recipients of the 2022 Opera Grants for Women Stage Directors and Conductors. The program incentivizes companies to hire women in these key artistic roles. These hires enrich the production and performance of new operas and works from the inherited repertoire; introduce audiences to the talent and insight of new artists; and inspire future generations of creative artists who identify as women.
Opera America Launches Opera Grants For Female Stage Directors And Conductors
OPERA America has announced the launch of the Opera Grants for Female Stage Directors and Conductors program, a new initiative developed to advance gender parity in the field by incentivizing opera companies to hire women for key artistic leadership roles. The grants are generously funded by the Marineau Family Foundation.
Female-identifying stage directors and conductors have been consistently underrepresented in opera productions, on average comprising fewer than 30 percent of the directors and fewer than 15 percent of the conductors in recent seasons.
The Stage Director and Conductor Grants will help OPERA America s Professional Company Members increase the number of women in these roles. Grants of as much as $10,000 will cover up to 50 percent of the fee of a female stage director or conductor who is contracted for the first time by an applicant company. In each grant cycle, a minimum of two grant