By her own admission, Anne Ewers loves a challenge. So when she was offered the position of president and chief executive officer of Philadelphia's Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, she knew she couldn't pass it up.
"It's a big challenge and daunting," she said in her Abravanel Hall office.
Ewers has been involved in the performing arts in Salt Lake City for the past 16 years, having joined Utah Opera as its general director in 1991, upon the death of company founder Glade Peterson. In July 2002, Ewers became president and CEO of the newly formed Utah Symphony & Opera, which position she will relinquish on Saturday.
Exactly one month later, on July 9, Ewers will begin a three-year contract in Philadelphia (10 months after Janice C. Price, Kimmel's previous CEO, resigned to manage an arts festival in Toronto).
Ewers' job at the Kimmel Center will be greater and more all-encompassing than her position here in Salt Lake City. For one thing, instead of managing just two performing-arts companies, she will oversee eight. The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, American Theater Arts for Youth, PHILADANCO, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Peter Nero and the Philly Pops all call the Kimmel Center home.
Along with these organizations, the center consists of four venues, which it manages: Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the Merck Arts Education Center.
Ewers also inherits a huge $30 million deficit left over from the center's construction. But she was aware of it before she accepted the job. "The search committee was so transparent. I knew all about the challenges, and I applaud them for that."
She also views the problems facing her in Philadelphia as "opportunities," and looks forward to working with the different organizations in solving them. "We need to collaborate and find better ways for these companies to work together."
As for US&O, Ewers feels confident that she is leaving on solid ground the organization she helped get on its feet. "As I've said before, there never is a good time to leave, but right now we're in the third year of our stability plan, the organization is stable and the Deer Valley Music Festival is taking off."
In separate telephone interviews, Jeff Bram, director of symphony artistic planning, and Christopher McBeth, opera artistic director, both agreed that US&O is in good shape and able to handle a change in leadership.
"I think we're going to be fine," Bram said. "We have a strong and decisive staff."
McBeth is also optimistic. "I'm very positive actually. We have a crackerjack senior staff. Anne has put the company on the path of growth and I think new opportunities will come out of this change."
Christine Osborne, who has been a bassoonist with the Utah Symphony for 22 years, and has sat on innumerable committees and task forces during that time, is aware that Ewers' departure opens the door to new impulses and ideas. Along with Bram and McBeth, Osborne believes this is a good time to bring in a new CEO.
"This is an exciting time for us," Osborne said. "We have a vision for the organization, we have a committed board, and we have been raising our stature nationally."
Although many people within and outside US&O have praised Ewers' management of the organization, she has also been roundly criticized for some of her artistic decisions.
Among her detractors has been Erich Graf, the symphony's principal flutist for the past three decades, who is also the president of the local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians. In a statement e-mailed to the Deseret Morning News, he wrote, "I congratulate Anne on her appointment to the Kimmel Center, and understand how she could not pass up such an opportunity. I wish her the best of luck.
"Ms. Ewers established a regime at the US&O that has not been without some turbulence and controversy. With a new music director (after the departure of current music director Keith Lockhart at the end of the 2008-09 season) and CEO I am looking for-
ward to a fresh perception of what is required to establish not only stasis within the organization, but also what is necessary to bring it to artistic fruition."
By phone, Graf explained what he saw were some of the problems during Ewers' tenure. "We (the musicians) all became very concerned because the merged operation was headed for some serious problems in 2005. We were facing either complete closure or severe cutbacks in the very least. That's why we collaborated with management and called in a consultant to come out here."
That consultant, Thomas Morris, came to Salt Lake City and outlined a number of changes and reorganizations he felt US&O needed to make in order to overcome its deficit, to become financially and artistically healthy, and to find the right path to survival, as well as thrive as one of Utah's pre-eminent performing arts organizations.
Ewers admits many mistakes were made in the early days of the merger. "But that's how you learn and grow."
She cited several problems: "We didn't communicate with patrons enough as the merger came closer, and after the merger, communication could have been better, too. And we didn't do enough for the staff during the transition period."
Switching to Saturday matinees and the extra-sensory concerts were mistakes, Ewers said. Branding was also a problem when the symphony and opera first merged. "We were too impatient. We were so busy trying to promote the symphony and opera and not separate them." That has changed, and the two organizations are now marketed as separate entities.
Evaluating her impact here, Ewers listed a number of accomplishments. She started Utah Opera's ensemble program, which brings five young singers to the company for 10 months where they can hone their talents while doing educational concerts that reach 200,000 children.
Commissioning the Utah centennial opera "Dreamkeepers" and being a co-commissioner of "The Grapes of Wrath" are two of Ewers' projects she is proud of, along with the purchase and expansion of the opera production studios.
However, it is the merger itself that is perhaps what Ewers sees as her legacy here. "For the community, it was an important thing," she said. "It has improved the quality of the performances, and the orchestra no longer feels like they're hired help," when they're in the Capitol Theatre pit playing for the opera.
She said that she has also made a conscious effort to improve her relationship with the musicians. "Ever since the European tour I've been holding fireside chats. I always buy pizza, and it's just me and the orchestra. I listen to their concerns and ideas. I think it builds overall relationships."
While a committee headed by board of trustees vice chairman Raymond J. Dardano searches for Ewers' replacement, the company's chief operating officer, David Green, will serve as acting CEO.
Ewers has some advice for her successor. "This is a terrific staff with tremendous expertise in their particular areas. In taking their counsel, you'll always like what that have to offer, but it doesn't mean you have to do what they suggest.
"Build the best relationship you can with the orchestra. They are our art form, and their perceptions needs to be heard.
"Be a part of this community and be among the people.
"Embrace all of the boards, including the Deer Valley council. They have expertise and you can't do anything without them. You need that expertise."
E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com