Job Description / Duties

The Peabody Conservatory seeks a full-time Interim Managing Artistic Director of the Peabody Opera. Reporting to the Chair of Vocal Studies and the Sr. Associate Dean of Institute Studies, the successful candidate will lead all elements of the opera program at the Peabody Conservatory, will be a passionate educator and an extraordinary director who is committed to excellence in teaching, has a demonstrated record of national or international musical engagement as an director, and enjoys working in a campus climate that promotes cultural diversity and multicultural understanding.. The Interim Managing Artistic Director should expect to be a dynamic presence on campus and a representative of the Peabody community to the greater Baltimore / DC metropolitan area. This is an interim, one-year, full-time faculty position with the possibility of renewal. The initial appointment will begin July 1, 2021. Compensation is commensurate with professional experience.

Opera at Peabody:
The opera program mounts two fully staged productions with orchestra in the mainstage theater every year. Each mainstage production has two casts plus a cover cast. Additionally there is an outreach program, an opera scenes program and the current program champions our unique Etudes program with the composition department, as well as a bi-annual early-music work. The vocal studies department serves up to 120 voice majors each year.

Duties:

Teach undergraduate and graduate students in rehearsal and in the classroom, exhibiting a thorough knowledge of the standard operatic repertoire, musical style, and comfort with the standard operatic languages.

Train singers for success in the ever-changing 21st century operatic scene while maintaining a strong link to the core repertory.

Fashion a teaching outline of desirable and necessary skill sets for the stage to be mastered by the voice students during their tenure.

Produce and oversee all aspects of two major productions, chamber operas, and scene programs, either directing them or overseeing guest directors, including budget and scheduling.

Inspire singers and colleagues in other disciplines throughout Peabody and JHU to work together to take full advantage of interdisciplinary resources and opportunities.

Foster programs that reach into the Baltimore-Washington region and bring opera into otherwise underserved communities.

Peabody’s current program champions our unique Etudes program, a collaboration with the Peabody composition department, as well as our long-standing outreach operas, and a bi-annual early-music production.

Qualifications / Required Skills

Master's Degree or comparable professional experience
A nationally or internationally recognized director with significant experience in stage direction and stage techniques at the professional and/or university level.
Minimum 5 years teaching in higher education or young artist programs
Innovative ideas and experience in a variety of genres of music and theater are essential
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
NOTE: The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

Contact Information

To ensure full consideration all materials must be received by November 15, 2020, however, applications will be received until the position is filled.

Required Materials for Application:

Cover letter

Curriculum Vitae

Phone and email contact information for five references

Links to video demonstrations excerpts of at least 3 recent opera productions directed and/or produced of varying styles. Videos(s) must be submitted via website link(s) and uploaded as one attachment.

A statement outlining how the candidate envisions (1) the teaching opera in a conservatory setting in remote, hybrid online and in person forms and (2) how opera will change (if at all) in a post-COVID-19 world.

Apply for the position here:
http://apply.interfolio.com/79710

Employer Profile

Located in the heart of Baltimore’s Mount Vernon Cultural District, the Peabody Institute was founded in 1857 as America’s first academy of music. Today, through its degree-granting Conservatory and its community-based Preparatory music and dance school, Peabody trains musicians and dancers of every age and at every level. Each year Peabody stages nearly 1000 major public concerts and performances. Peabody is one of the nine divisions of the Johns Hopkins University.