Guerilla Opera Hires Clive Grainger as Executive Director

Since the company's inception local soprano Aliana de la Guardia, an active performer in Boston's new music scene, has served as the General Manager of Boston's experimental opera company - Guerilla Opera. Now in their 11th season, de la Guardia steps aside to welcome the company's newest member, Clive Grainger to their new Executive Director position.

In her ten seasons as General Manager, de la Guardia has served as the face of the company to the public and supervised the company's marketing, fundraising and operations efforts. As an integral member of Guerilla Opera's team of producers she is in part responsible for 14 world premiere operas, 16 new productions, numerous public events, studio recordings, arranged the live-streaming of performances since 2013, as well as travelled the company's signature production of "Heart of a Dog" to Hubbard Hall in Cambridge, NY and to The Rudi E. Scheidt School at the University of Memphis. She comments:
"It was my choice to step back. It was a hard choice. But, now we have the opportunity to have fresh eyes with a unique perspective looking at our company as a whole. I'm confident that Clive brings the experience we need to get to the next level and, in the long run, to reach our greatest potential as a company."

De la Guardia will still serve on the board of directors as the treasurer, who will oversee the company's financial management, and as a long-time company member, you can expect to see her cast in future operas. She notes:

"For 10 years Guerilla Opera has been my life. I don't expect to sit back just because I'm not at the helm. I'm excited to enter my new role as an active member of the board. We are a unit and I will always be a soldier for this cause whatever the role I'm playing on or off stage."

Grainger comes to Guerilla Opera as an award-winning photographer and television producer, with extensive experience as a production and stage manager in both television and theatre. For ten years he worked in production for BBC television in London, UK. Upon moving to the US, he became a member of the renowned Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, where he produced award-winning broadcast and interactive media.

Grainger is married to Carole Charnow, former founder and general director of Opera Boston. During the life of Opera Boston he was actively involved in building and supporting the company, and is very familiar with the Boston opera and music community. Grainger comments:

"I am delighted to step into my new role with Guerilla Opera as it celebrates an impressive ten-year history of innovation in opera production. I have been impressed by Guerilla Opera's adventurous mission, its artistic integrity and the opportunities it offers to challenge both artists and audiences. I am honored to work with the company as it enters its second decade and seeks to grow and develop, bringing more exciting repertoire to the city and region."

Guerilla Opera is an Ensemble-in-Residence at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and will premiere Chrononhotonthologos by Andy Vores, libretto by Henry Carey with stage direction by Nick O'Leary at the school in November 2017 in a new location: Ipswich Hall at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee Ipswich Building at 123 Ipswich Street, Boston, MA.

For more information visit Guerilla Opera online at guerillaopera.org.

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