With surprisingly little fanfare, Utah Opera general director Anne Ewers announced a new fund-raising campaign to renovate and expand the company's production studio on 400 West in downtown Salt Lake City.
Speaking at a press conference Thursday morning in the studio, Ewers explained that the campaign, called "Sound Future: Act II," is necessary to ensure the growth of the company and to improve its outreach program in the community.
" 'Sound Future: Act II' shows the vision and passion of our opera company," said Ewers.
Even though Thursday was the official launch of the campaign, William C. Bailey, chairman of the board of Utah Opera, pointed out that so far over half of the funds needed for this project have been donated.
"We've already raised $3.2 million toward our $5 million goal," Bailey said.
Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson also spoke at Thursday's press conference. "This is an exciting morning for Salt Lake City," he said. "We welcome Utah Opera's renovation. It is a reflection on our thriving arts community."
Anderson also lauded the opera company's commitment to bringing the arts to young people. "With their work with at-risk students, they reach people whose lives are absolutely enriched," he said.
The George S. & Delores Dore Eccles Foundation, the Emma Eccles Jones Foundation and the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney Foundation are major financial contributors to this project, having each pledged $750,000 to the campaign.
With the $5 million the company hopes to raise, Utah Opera will be able to soundproof and enlarge the rehearsal room in the facility so that the artists can practice in a space that has the same dimensions as the stage of the Capitol Theatre, where the operas are performed, said Ewers.
The renovation will also provide greater storage areas for costumes and sets and give the company's construction crew a chance to assemble two-story sets prior to installing them in the Capitol Theatre.
Something new at the studio will be a learning center, which the public will be able to access either in person or via the Internet and use to check out CDs and other opera resource material.
Pace Pollard Architects has been selected to do the design. When completed, the production studio will be 65,000 square feet. Its current size is 40,000 square feet. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer.
E-MAIL: ereichel@desnews.com