When the National Endowment for the Arts announced the inaugural winners of its new Opera Honors in May, all four names were widely known except one — Richard Gaddes.
Unlike his fellow recipients — soprano Leontyne Price, conductor James Levine and composer Carlisle Floyd — Gaddes has spent his 41-year career behind the scenes and out of the spotlight. But his impact on the field has been no less significant.
In 1976, the Briton co-founded the Opera Theatre of St. Louis and later became its general director, playing a pivotal role in establishing it as one of the principal summer companies in the United States.
In 1994, he returned to the Santa Fe Opera, where he previously served as artistic administrator. Four years later, he was named successor to founding general director John Crosby, taking over in 2000.
Last August, Gaddes revealed his plans to retire, and a few months later, the company chose Charles MacKay, general director of the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, as his replacement, effective Oct. 1.
During Gaddes’ eight-year tenure, the already-respected company has further boosted its international prestige, and its annual budget has grown from about $9.5 million in 1999 to $17.5 million this year.
During a recent interview, Gaddes spoke about his time in Santa Fe and shared some thoughts on the opera world at large. His comments have been edited and compiled.
Q. What do you think your biggest accomplishments have been?
A. When I first took over as general director, I felt that there was a feeling that the opera was a little bit elitist, that we were a group of people 7 miles north of Santa Fe up on a hill doing something that Santa Fe had very little to do with. I’m slightly exaggerating that, but there was a perception that we weren’t as good players in the community then as we could or should be.
With my colleagues, we developed a strategy to dispel that notion. If you look back over the last eight or nine years, there are a number of things we did that have helped turn that around completely, and the end result is that around 2000, 32 percent of the audience came from New Mexico. Today, it’s at least 50 percent, if not slightly more.
On top of that, John Crosby and I always used to say when we sit back and say this is good and feel self-satisfied, that’s the time to get out, because it can always be better. I have continued to try and increase the artistic quality of the company.
Q. Where does the Santa Fe Opera rank among the world’s opera companies?
A. I would say it’s one of the eight or 10 major summer festivals of opera in the world. In recent years, it has become much easier to persuade singers to come here — Natalie Dessay, Anne Sofie von Otter, Luca Pisaroni. That’s a very important change, that we’re no longer in a backwater. We are an important festival, where it’s good to say you’ve been.
Q. What are some of the challenges facing the opera world?
A. Well, right now, of course, the economy. Even we, who sell most of our tickets, are seeing a slowdown. We’re not concerned about meeting our budget this year. We think we will make it. But usually at this point, we’re saying, ‘We’re going to make it and then some.’ I also feel there is a dearth of people coming up to fill these positions as general directors.
Q. And why is that?
A. I’ve been asking that for so long. I think the work ethic has possibly changed. I think people today are much more governed by: This is my work, this is my job description. When I, Tom Morris and Brad Woolbright were here 30 years ago, we just did everything. It didn’t matter if it was 5 o’clock, you just did it. We had a season to put on, and job description be damned. I think universally that attitude has changed.
Q. What are your plans now?
A. I’m never going to work again. If a small company was perhaps in need of some help for a short period of time, I would donate my services. But I’m not going to be one of these people who hangs around and keeps popping up everywhere. When you’re out, you’re out. Keys on the table and leave. I’m going to rest on my laurels, whatever they might be.
Kyle MacMillan: 303-954-1675 or kmacmillan@denverpost.com
