The General & Artistic Director of the Seattle Opera shares how the business model of the opera, and arts organizations as a whole, have changed over the years. We talk about why producing an opera is expensive, how leaders should approach funding as an investment rather than a charity gift, and lastly he dispels the myth that the opera is just for the elite. All of this along with breaking down Starbucks moving away from pick-up only stores and Zillow being sued. Again. Top Stories 1. The business of performance art 2. Starbucks to shut down pick-up only concept 3. CoStar sues Zillow over copyright infringement About guest James Robinson - General & Artistic Director, Seattle Opera: James took over as the General & Artistic Director in September 2024. Prior to this, James was the Artistic Director at the Opera Theater of Saint Louis where he commissioned 11 world premieres. As a stage director, he has also directed at least 75 new productions at the world’s top theaters. James is the 5th person to lead the Seattle Opera in the 61 year history. About host Rachel Horgan: Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego. Contact: Email:
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