On Site Opera Begins Next Decade Of Innovation With New Board Leadership

On Site Opera, New York's pioneer opera company rooted in site-specific storytelling and the immersive experience, announces the appointment of current board Secretary Corey Kinger as the new President, effective September 1st, 2022.

Currently celebrating their tenth anniversary season, the organization continues to foster sustainability and longevity, ushering in a shift in leadership and vision for the future. Current board President Jane A. Gross, who has served in her role since the company's inception in 2012, has been designated unanimously by the board as the Founding President Emerita, a title that will be attached to her name in perpetuity.

A lifelong opera enthusiast who frequently travels the world to enjoy and honor the art form, Corey has served on the On Site Opera board since 2016 and as Secretary since 2018. She has served as Gala Co-Chair twice and brings her corporate experience to OSO's board discussions, including critical thinking about the alignment of financial position and artistic goals, and bringing her corporate insights about DEI to champion the importance of On Site Opera's own values and commitments. Professionally, she serves as the Vice President of Investor Relations for WW International, Inc. Before joining WW, she was a Managing Director at Brainerd Communicators, a strategic communications consultancy, and has worked in investor relations for publicly traded companies for 20 years.

"Since attending my first On Site Opera production in 2016, I have been impressed by how bringing opera to unique, site-specific locations and making it an immersive experience transforms opera -- creating a deeper connection between the artists and the audience and making opera accessible and enjoyable to more people," explains Kinger. "In its first 10 years, On Site Opera has made an incredible impact in helping reimagine what opera can be. I am honored to continue my service to On Site Opera and I look forward to partnering further with everyone at the company as we work together to create new opera experiences that resonate with an expansive audience."

"Like many of our conversations around our 10th anniversary, this officer transition is an exciting step into a new chapter, and we are excited to welcome Corey into this role to bring her unique leadership style to the board," notes Eric Einhorn, On Site Opera's General and Artistic Director. "I am personally so grateful to Jane for joining me in the founding decade of this organization. She has been - and continues to be - a major force in establishing OSO's board structure, its visibility in the opera industry, and championing our mission."

"It is my firm belief that the nonprofit trustees should not remain in leadership positions in perpetuity, and I'm very excited for our board's first step transitioning to a younger generation of officer leadership," adds outgoing president Jane A. Gross. "I will enthusiastically remain on the board for institutional memory, mentoring, and ongoing support of On Site Opera's exciting work," she continues. "Opera, like any industry, is changing. Lifestyles have changed, audience expectations have changed, fundraising patterns have changed, and all in ways which can best be led by board officers who are in the peak of their careers."

For the last decade, Jane has championed the company's mission of accessibility by engaging new audiences through creative and friendly conversation, has networked with new artists to encourage collaboration, and has helped to seek out and secure new fundraising opportunities. Upon her succession, she has generously provided an endowment to the organization's Reserve Fund with a special anniversary gift, ensuring future support for the company. Her foresight to intentionally step aside from her acting role as president is also meant to set a precedent for future officer transitions, pushing On Site Opera evolution even further with a new generation of leaders. Her tremendous contributions will be honored at On Site Opera's 10th Anniversary Gala this October.

Founded in 2012, New York City-based On Site Opera is the country's leading presenter of site-specific operas in non- traditional venues. Rooted in collaboration and storytelling, On Site Opera celebrates the connection between artist and audience through highly curated experiences led by exciting opera artists and bold and innovative creative teams. Each On Site Opera production invites New Yorkers to explore their city in new and unique ways, while cultivating a new generation of opera audiences. To date, OSO has produced 19 operas in as many unique locations to critical acclaim, including the Bronx Zoo, Harlem's historic Cotton Club, Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the

American Museum of Natural History, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Committed to exploring new technology to make opera more accessible, OSO was the first opera company to employ Google Glass supertitles, and the company has currently developed its own mobile app for multi-language translations and digital program information.

Following extended COVID-related theater closures in 2020, On Site Opera was recognized as a leading organization in reimagining opera, bringing productions to audiences around the world through the telephone, by mail, and online in inventive and creative productions.

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