San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley to Retire in July 2016
San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley and San Francisco Opera Association President Keith Geeslin today announced that Gockley will retire in July 2016, concluding a ten-year, seven-month tenure with the Company and capping an internationally acclaimed and award-winning career spanning 44 years as one of America's most prominent opera impresarios. Gockley, who will be 73 at the end of the 2015-16 season, became the Company's sixth general director when he joined San Francisco Opera in January 2006. Today's announcement was made at a War Memorial Opera House press conference.
'When I was appointed San Francisco Opera's general director, I set out to carry forth the growth and success of the Company for no more than ten full seasons, and this plan has not changed,' stated Gockley. 'I also believe this is an opportunity to give the public, board of directors and staff a new leader with fresh ideas, energy, eyes and ears.
Gockley continued: 'It has not been an easy decision for me to step aside as I reflect on my professional life these past 40-plus years and in particular, my affection for San Francisco Opera, a glorious and iconic company that I've held in the highest regard since the early days of my career. Supported by a very generous board of directors, donors, and ticket holders, I remain in awe of the community's commitment to San Francisco Opera, both locally and nationally. The extraordinary work of the more than 900 employees connected to this Company has helped solidify San Francisco Opera's standing as one of the top lyric theaters in the world. I'm very proud to collaborate with all of these individuals, especially our nine labor union partners, as we unite in striving to produce only the best opera.'
Commenting on Gockley's tenure, Keith Geeslin praised his many accomplishments. 'David's legacy, both in San Francisco and at Houston Grand Opera before that, is remarkable. My board colleagues John Gunn [chairman] and George Hume [immediate past president and current vice chairman] had the foresight and wisdom to recruit David, and we have benefitted greatly from his artistic leadership and his savvy financial stewardship, especially during the recent 'Great Recession'. David's tenure has brought some remarkable innovations and has increased San Francisco Opera's presence in our community and in the entire opera industry. The establishment of the Koret-Taube Media Suite, a groundbreaking media platform, enables our Opera at the Ballpark live simulcasts to AT&T Park and the San Francisco Opera Grand Opera Cinema Series. Our performances are broadcast locally on KQED TV and nationally on PBS, and distributed internationally on DVD/Blu-ray in partnership with EuroArts Music International.'
The Company's board of directors is forming a committee, chaired by San Francisco Opera board member and Treasurer Steven M. Menzies and fellow board member Robert A. Ellis, to undertake an international search for a new general director.
OPERA America President and CEO Marc Scorca commented, 'David Gockley's impact on opera cannot be overstated. He led a successful national movement to establish an American opera repertoire and guided programs that nurtured some of the greatest singers of our day. Through landmark education programs and projects that increased opera's accessibility to a broader and more diverse audience, he redefined the role of an opera company in its community. David Gockley is a visionary whose leadership has strengthened the entire field and enriched the art form here in the United States and around the world.'
Among the many artistic accomplishments highlighting David Gockley's tenure at San Francisco Opera are: a new Francesca Zambello production of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, with Nina Stemme; a new production of Bellini's Norma, featuring stand out performances by Sondra Radvanovsky and Jamie Barton; the Company premiere of Carlisle Floyd's American masterwork Susannah; highly praised productions of two great American works, the Gershwins' Porgy and Bess and Kern and Hammerstein II's Show Boat; a critically lauded production of Puccini's complete triptych Il Trittico with Patricia Racette; the widely acclaimed Company premiere of Handel's Xerxes; a new production of Mozart's The Magic Flute, designed by artist Jun Kaneko; an impressive, large-scale production of Boito's Mefistofele, which was broadcast live to cinemas in Europe; Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi,which will be released later this month on DVD/Blu-ray; the co-commission and presentation of Jake Heggie's award winning Moby-Dick, which was broadcast on PBS' Great Performances; and a new dramatic production of Janacek's The Makropulous Case with Karita Mattila among more than 110 opera productions presented by Gockley.
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