Met loses its chief fundraiser to Philadelphia

Met loses its chief fundraiser to Philadelphia

main

norman lebrecht

March 13, 2017

In a further sign of disarray at fortress Gelb, Marita Altman, who has been Director of Major Gifts at the Metropolitan Opera since 2008, is leaving to join Opera Philadelphia as v-p of development.

She starts the new job this week.

Great catch for Philly, but who’ll rattle the big begging bowl for the Met?

press release:

Monday, March 13, 2017: David B. Devan, General Director & President of Opera Philadelphia, announced today the appointment of Marita Altman as Vice President of Development. Ms. Altman begins her tenure in Philadelphia on Wednesday, March 15, after stepping down from her post as Director of Major Gifts at the Metropolitan Opera, where she has worked since 2008. Altman will manage all of the company’s fundraising operations while working alongside members of Opera Philadelphia’s senior management team.

In announcing Altman’s appointment, Devan said: “Marita Altman has a distinguished record of accomplishment as a fundraiser, a passion for opera’s history and possibilities, and a deep commitment to innovation. She has proven very successful in helping to shape institutional plans and goals, and to build the resources needed to support them. At Opera Philadelphia, she will bring the strategic leadership skills, technical expertise, and passion for our mission that we value and need in the time ahead. She will lead a Development team that is committed to the mission of inspiring artists and audiences and creating opera for the 21st century. We are very pleased to welcome Marita to theOpera Philadelphia family.”

Comments

  • MacroV says:

    Oh for heaven’s sake. A quick search of the MET website shows that they have an Assistant GM for Development, who would be the #1 person in the fundraising part of the organization. So moving to Philly, to VP of Development, is probably a step up. And she’s been in the job eight years. People move on. And no doubt the MET will get a lot of good applicants to replace her.

  • Der Fliegende Amerikaner says:

    Please move along…. nothing to see here (though congratulations are in order to Ms. Altman). People move all the time; my boss is quitting this week because he said he couldn’t afford the cost of living in the San Francisco Bay Area anymore. Ms. Altman is leaving because the position in Philadelphia appears to be a step up, or she wants to move somewhere where the cost of living is lower, or some other personal reason.

    I don’t see this as a “sign of disarray” at the Met.

    Quite frankly, this is a non-story. Music criticism must not be measured in clicks.

  • Bruce says:

    Every time anyone leaves the Met, whether on the management or artistic side of things, it’s a sign of the imminent collapse of the company. (From the tone of NL’s post a couple years ago when both principal flutists announced their departures on the same day, it’s amazing that the place is still standing, let alone in business.)

  • NYMike says:

    The Philly Orch. could’ve used her……..

  • MOST READ TODAY: