‘EVERY SHOW’S NOT FOR EVERYONE’
Pittsburgh Opera’s new board chair aims for solid financials, varied programming
The new chairman of the Pittsburgh Opera board didn’t know much about opera when he was asked to be on the board. What he may have lacked in a musical background, however, he made up for with his experience with finance. As a retired CPA, Gene Welsh is a numbers guy and an outspoken opera convert. This summer, he took over as chairman for his second, nonconsecutive term.
Arts nonprofits are facing changed audience and donor habits that are making it difficult to rebuild and plan seasons and budgets. Many organizations are experiencing high staff turnover. Plus, the opera’s general director, Christopher Hahn, is approaching the end of his tenure, according to multiple sources.
Recently, the Post-Gazette sat with
Welsh to discuss the future of the company. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
So, if you don’t have a musical background, how did you become involved with the opera?
Well, I’ve always liked music.... A family connection in Pittsburgh introduced me to the opera, and I was asked to be on the board due to my experience with financials. But I declined at first. I had the predisposition that it was stodgy.
Later, I went to the opera and fell in love with the people and the art form, the pomp, the splendor, the music, the scenery — it was just incredible to me. And I thought, ‘This is Broadway, this is a movie, this is everything in one. I’m in!’ And then I joined the board in 2010.
And what was that first opera?
Puccini’s “Madam Butterfly,” of course! And actually, my first date with [my husband] Marty Healy was Puccini’s “Turandot.”
Can’t go wrong with Puccini. So what’s top of mind on the business end of arts organizations these days?
Attendance has got to be the No. 1. Attendance corresponds to giving, and without those two things you don’t have strong financials.
The things motivating people to come to the opera are different than they were even a few years ago. The pandemic affected that, the old stalwarts, the people you could count on, their attendance has waned. We have to find new people to replace them. Hasn’t it always been that way?
Yes, but the pandemic has accelerated that trend. Pittsburgh Opera has done several things to help correct this. We present a wide variety of operas including baroque and modern operas, even a sports opera a few years ago! We’ve also focused on the fact that universities are filled with people who will be our replacements at some point and
are reaching out to them especially.
Plus, our resident artist program is one of the top programs of any opera in the U.S. We have probably 900 people that apply every year that will audition for only three or four slots. Everybody likes their peers. It’s easy to melt down stereotypes about the opera when there’s a 23-year-old soprano singing and she’s as lovely as the day can be.
Is it working?
Yes. Pittsburgh Opera has done a great job in adapting after the pandemic. It used to be that 75% of our ticket revenue came from season subscriptions, and that’s dropped considerably. But we also include group packages in our menu of offerings. They have skyrocketed, as have single ticket sales.
This means that there’s less displacement in terms of absolute dollars than in where they’re coming from.
Arts organizations survive on philanthropy. Does this mean giving is still strong?
We’ve got a nice portfolio of foundations and high net worth individuals. If we lost one, it’s not a matter of the sky falling and which door do we close first. It’s a matter of regrouping and then getting it done.
At the end of the day, you can miss on your top-line attendance but you can’t miss on your bottom-line financials.
What are your other goals for this three-year term?
Well, Christopher’s winding down his tenure. I’ve probably hired more executives than anybody else in my career. It’s very important that we find the right person for this job.
I’m also keeping an eye on our relationships with foundations — they still give to the things they used to but they changed how they give and why they give. They used to give so that people could keep their doors open, but they don’t anymore and I don’t think they should. If a company has shown that it isn’t able to bear at least some of its own fruits then shame on them. They don’t deserve the money.
Lastly, you’ve mentioned stereotypes a couple of times. As an opera convert yourself, how do you pitch the opera to new people?
It depends on who you’re talking to, of course. If it’s someone young, you have to hit the relevance to them on what they’re seeing vs. where their head is at any point in time. But then, others are interested in the whole experience and understanding the art form. For them it’s the people and the dinner and the evening and the dressing up. That helps attract people.
Really, it’s about making sure that you pick the right show to introduce them. Every show’s not for everyone. I’m taking some new friends to opening night in October, actually.
Of course, who wouldn’t like the comedy in the upcoming “Barber of Seville?”
Oh my god! How could you not!?