Utah Symphony and Opera

I. Background

The Utah Symphony (USO) and the Utah Opera (UOC) Merger was a union that was brought forth by the leadership committee at the USO in Salt Lake City.The Utah Opera (UOC) was formed in 1976. It was owned by late Glade Peterson, who was a native of Utah and renowned operatic talent in Europe. UOC owned production studios on 2.9 acres of land and an sizable costume inventory (including 17 sets and 38 productions of costumes), all of these were valued at approximately $4.8 million. UOC was committed to staging opera productions, to promoting broad public, knowledge and appreciation of opera, as well as to creating opportunities for promising young artists to develop their talents and to pursue careers in opera. After the death of Peterson in 1990, Anne Ewers was named general director of UOC the following year. Under her direction, annual productions has increased from three to four and attracted an annual audience of approximately 130,000 patrons from Utah and the neighboring states. UOC gets its financial support from locally and nationally based corporations. By January 2002, the UOC endowment had grown to $5 million.

The Utah Symphony (USO), before known as Utah State Symphony Orchestra Association, first met on April 4, 1940. Maurice Abravanel, an experienced maestro, was hired by the USO as its conductor in 1947. He went on to become the symphony’s music director and spent 32 years,until his retirement in 1979. Under Abravanel’s direction, the USO became one of the first orchestras from the western United States to tour internationally. Abravanel was then replaced by Keith Lockhart in 1998. Lockhart continued in Abravanel’s footsteps, and by 2002, the USO was one of the most involved orchestras in the country.

Both arts organization were doing good till the tragic events that happened in September 11, 2011. A weakening of the economy, and the subsequent collapse of the stock market has led to a decline in public (e.g. government subsidies)...