I was busy and missed the boat on this one but even having missed the press conference, I still endorse Ryan Tracy for Director of NYC Opera.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(New York, NY, December 31, 2008) Ryan Tracy (aka, Counter Critic) and special guests will host a press conference at 1841 Broadway on Friday, January 2, 2009, beginning at 4:00pm, to officially introduce himself, his advisory team, and his plan for rescuing the New York City Opera from extinction.

The conference will cover the following points:

• Introductions

• A Brief State of the New York City Opera

• The First Twelve Months

• Need for Fiscal/Administrative Transparency

• Limit of Term

• Administrative Re-Organization

• The Board of Directors

• Creative Advisory Board

• A Home for New York City Opera

• The Unsung Singer

• The Singer’s Body

• Stagione V Repertory

• Programming

• Sustainability

In early November, The New York City Opera suffered a major setback. A dispute between the City Opera board and director-designate Gerard Mortier culminated in both parties walking away from their commitments, after Mr. Mortier had already set underway a renovation of the State Theater (now the David H. Koch Theater) and canceled all fully-staged 2008-2009 productions.

This has left “the people’s opera” without a leader, and without a clear direction or strategy to get them out of artistic an economic turmoil.

On December 9, seeing no evidence of progress for the City Opera to find a new leader (and frankly, noticing that no one was really stepping up to the plate) Ryan Tracy announced his candidacy for the directorship of New York City Opera at www.countercritic.com, where he maintains an online, interactive campaign

headquarters:

Campaign Headquarters Quick Links:

• Give Money To New York City Opera…?
• Watch The Campaign Video
• Original 12-step Program for NYCO Recovery
• Bel Canto Amendment
• Not So Short List of Potential Advisors
• Smack Down for George Steele
• Read Ryan Tracy’s HD opera cover story for The New York Press

As an advocate and creator of opera, and as a concerned New Yorker who sees one of his city’s major opera institutions facing peril, Ryan Tracy has stepped forward to offer his leadership as a solution and a hope to New York City Opera.

The New York City Opera does not have to collapse. It can be saved. But we need smart, savvy, and fearless individuals to take decisive action and lead this company into the 21st century.

A Campaign Action Force has been assembled, and has worked tirelessly to flesh out a comprehensive rescue plan for New York City Opera, including recommendations for programming initiatives, nominees for executive positions, and general suggestions for running a better, more efficient and far more transparent public arts organization.

The purpose of this candidacy is to promote artistic integrity, to guard against financial irresponsibility, to help New York City Opera thrive and flourish for years to come, and once again to make this company worthy of being called “the people’s opera.”

The Counter Critic

www.countercritic.com