\n years of financial turmoil and uncertainty, Sacramento
\n Philharmonic & Opera wraps up its most successful season in a
\n decade<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Many longtime area residents \u2014 as well as disappointed patrons
\n who, years ago, bought annual subscriptions only to have the
\n then-Sacramento Symphony Orchestra cancel the season \u2014 are at
\n least passingly familiar with the group\u2019s multi-storied struggle
\n to stay alive. It went through a revolving door of executive and
\n artistic directors, staff members, boards of directors, full-time
\n and one-weekend-only maestros, name changes and, finally, the
\n merger that began to save two faltering professional companies at
\n once: the re-christened Sacramento Philharmonic and the venerable
\n but often financially challenged Sacramento Opera.\n<\/p>\n
\n The on-again, off-again financial instability of the Sacramento
\n Symphony resulted in its declaring bankruptcy and closing up shop
\n entirely in 1997. Several years later, it returned under new
\n management and with a new name: the Sacramento Philharmonic.
\n Following some years of leadership we could kindly call
\n questionable, the newly minted Sacramento Philharmonic merged
\n with the Sacramento Opera 11 years ago. Then miracles began to
\n happen. Under the stabilizing leadership of Alice Sauro \u2014 who had
\n played first-chair violin for a major city orchestra until a
\n longtime shoulder injury saw her move from being a celebrated
\n musician to a highly respected administrator \u2014 the SP&O, as
\n it was now referred to, began to sell single tickets and
\n subscriptions again to a gratefully returning audience, as well
\n as a new, younger one.\n<\/p>\n
\n Then, the aforementioned Kornberg, a young, charismatic executive
\n director (and one of our 2021 Young Professional honorees) who\u2019d
\n previously worked in fundraising, jumped into the job with both
\n feet and unlimited energy. What Sauro had begun, Kornberg not
\n only solidified but also expanded, as the orchestra reclaimed its
\n prestige, along with its new solvency. It now conducts complete
\n seasons of classical music and opera at the SAFE Credit Union
\n Performing Arts Center and has broken attendance and donation
\n records in the process.\n<\/p>\n
Related:\u00a0On the \n In addition, Kornberg has led the successful effort to secure \n You don\u2019t have to be a music lover to recognize the value of \n Speaking of the Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra, I\u2019d like Related: The Show Must Go On: \n When you combine the accessible amenities of our burgeoning arts \n You may know that cities throughout the country are rated on a \n All of this is music to my ears. What do you think?\n<\/p>\n \n Winnie Comstock-Carlson
\n Rise: Giuliano Kornberg<\/a><\/p>\n
\n multi-year contracts with musicians, itself a major feat in a
\n town often governed by the dictates of organized labor. Maybe
\n best of all, the SP&O musicians frequently appear at
\n community events and are a welcome presence at area schools whose
\n music education programs dissolved somewhere along the way.\n<\/p>\n
\n having a thriving arts scene in Sacramento, whether your tastes
\n run to professional performance groups such as the SP&O, the
\n Sacramento Ballet, B Street Theatre, the Sacramento Choral
\n Society & Orchestra and Capital Stage, or the many other music
\n and dance companies that make up the fabric of our region.\n<\/p>\n
\n to acknowledge them too in this piece, not for a comeback but for
\n their amazing staying power. Led by longtime friend Don Kendrick,
\n the Choral Society is this year celebrating 30 years of
\n incredible performances in our region. I make it a point to
\n attend several of them, including their annual Home for the
\n Holidays each Christmas.\n<\/p>\n
\n Sacramento\u2019s performing arts nonprofits find new ways to engage
\n the community<\/a><\/p>\n
\n and sports environments, as well as our flourishing educational
\n institutions, the net result is tremendous local and regional
\n pride.\n<\/p>\n
\n tier system to determine their suitability to host conferences,
\n conventions, concerts and the relocation of major employers.
\n Sacramento was always considered a \u201csecond-tier\u201d city, which may
\n have meant we had a sizable but not enormous population, a decent
\n domestic airport but not an international one, a major league
\n sports team but only one, and an ample but not metropolitan
\n supply of hotels. Well, we\u2019ve been upgraded, and we\u2019re not
\n through. Today, Sacramento is generally considered a rapidly
\n evolving \u201c1.5-tier\u201d city, functioning as a major, fast-growing
\n hub, according to a recent online summary. We\u2019ve matured into an
\n economically stable area, \u201coffering a blend of capital city
\n stability, relative affordability compared to the Bay Area, and
\n growing luxury.\u201d Sounds good to me.\n<\/p>\n
President and Publisher\n<\/p>\n
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