The Lyric Opera of Kansas City announced this week, just days after the season finale of Tosca, that artistic director Ward Holmquist is out of a job — one he's held since 1998.
"Lyric Opera of Kansas City is reorganizing along the lines of standard industry structure for the purpose of improved effectiveness and efficiency in our operation and has eliminated the position of Artistic Director. Lyric Opera of Kansas City today announces the departure of Artistic Director Ward Holmquist. We thank him for his years of service," Board chair Kenneth Hager said in a statement issued Thursday.
As the Kansas City Star reports, Holmquist was responsible for "choosing the seasons, auditioning and hiring singers, deciding on arrangements and orchestra size." It's unclear who will now shoulder these duties at the Lyric Opera. Although it's likely to be general director and CEO Deborah Sandler, according to a response posted by a staffer on the Lyric's Facebook page:
"Because this is an internal personnel issue, I am not able to talk in any detail about the elimination of Ward Holmquist’s position with the company. We are reorganizing our artistic functions similar to the majority of US Opera Companies – including our opera peers like Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Philadelphia, and Dallas Opera where the General Director oversees both the artistic *and* business operations of the company. Deborah Sandler brings a wealth of experience in both artistic and financial leadership – she will continue to lead our artistic vision, upholding our first-rate artistic standards."
