Double Duty

It was just another quiet mid-winter day, Feb. 9th to be exact. I was sitting in front of my computer doing some writing when a news release popped up on my screen: “Canadian Opera Company General Director Alexander Neef Appointed Artistic Director of Santa Fe Opera.” Talk about the heart skipping a beat! I calmed down when I read the small print—“his seasonal role in Santa Fe is to complement his COC portfolio.” Starting Oct. 1, 2018, SFO will be run by a triumvirate—Robert Meya as General Director, together with Neef as Artistic Director, and Harry Bicket as Music Director

This coming June marks the tenth anniversary of Alexander Neef’s tenure as General Director of the Canadian Opera Company—“It doesn’t feel like I’ve been here 10 years, which is a good thing!” he quipped when I congratulated him. The German-born Neef’s career as an artistic administrator