Calgary Opera Welcomes Sue Elliott as General Director and CEO
Sue Elliott. Photo by Stephanie Zollshan Photography, 2023.
Elliott takes the reins of the 50-year-old company in November 2023
Calgary Opera’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Sue Elliott as its next General Director & CEO, effective November 20, 2023. A Canadian with extensive experience in the United States and abroad, she will work in partnership with Artistic Director Jonathan Brandani to realize the company’s mission of enriching the community with diverse operas, educational programs, artist training, and efficient, fiscally responsible management.
With a distinguished career marked by groundbreaking initiatives and a profound dedication to the arts, Sue brings a wealth of knowledge and a visionary approach to her role.
“We are thrilled to have Sue join us as General Director and CEO,” said Don Edie, Chair of the Calgary Opera Board of Directors. “She has a keen understanding of the cultural service that this 400-year-old art form provides in the 21st century. Sue brings to Calgary Opera success in developing new work, incorporating cross-sector collaborations, as well as expertise in engaging audiences from all walks of life through traditional and non-traditional programming. Sue intends to both enrich the lives of Calgarians and elevate the company’s prominence within the industry and I am personally looking forward to seeing that ambition blossom into fruition.”
One of North America’s most innovative arts leaders, Sue’s commitment to sharing stories of our time has taken centre stage at Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, and around the world through more than 20 commissions that include the world’s first mariachi opera, Cruzar le cara de la luna, and An American Dream, a searing account of the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. As inaugural Director of the Tanglewood Learning Institute and Linde Center for Music and Learning, she transformed the Boston Symphony’s summer home into a year-round cultural destination. Thousands of private music teachers across Canada have benefitted from the online professional development, certificate, and accreditation program she launched and led at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Sue joins Calgary Opera from the Norman Rockwell Museum in Massachusetts, where she served as its first Chief Audience Officer.
“I have long admired Calgary Opera, whose successes commissioning new work, nurturing Canadian artists, and producing engaging performances and programs has cemented its reputation as one of the country’s most innovative and ambitious arts organizations,” says Elliott. “There is a unique enthusiasm for opera here, and I look forward to collaborating with Jonathan, the Board of Directors, professional staff, artists, donors, audiences, and community members in realizing an even brighter future for this dynamic and distinguished company.”
An accomplished pianist and clarinetist and acclaimed public speaker, Sue’s efforts to build a more civil society range from launching the Song of Houston initiative, curating Seattle Opera’s Ring Cycle Festival, and producing programs such as The Finer Points of Kazoo Virtuosity, Make Some Noise! open houses, and Mighty Echoes: How Music Has Changed the World. She co-hosted King FM’s Saturday Night Opera broadcasts and served as an advisory board member for OPERA America, University of Washington School of Music, World Refugee Day, Seattle Science Festival, and more. A lifelong learner, Sue holds music performance degrees from McGill University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Southern California and certificates from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Social Impact Strategy.
Calgary Opera’s Board of Directors launched an international search for a new leader upon receipt of General Director and CEO Heather Kitchen’s notice of intention to leave the company. Ms. Kitchen will continue in this role through late November to ensure a smooth transition.
Please direct media enquiries to:
Noree Claerhout
Director of Marketing & Communications
Direct: 403-802-3423
nclaerhout@calgaryopera.com