Dear Friends of Saskatoon Opera, I am honoured and humbled to have been elected president of Saskatoon Opera, an organization that I have admired for many years. Saskatoon Opera’s main stage audience is sophisticated, discriminating, and loyal, and the innovative main stage performances have been a strong source of inspiration for residents of Saskatoon and region for its 35 year history. Our Opera in Schools program has introduced the operatic art form to thousands of children and youth throughout Saskatchewan as well as providing young artists with the opportunity to perform their first professional debut as an artist, one of the only such opportunities within the province. Given these accomplishments, it’s easy to see why I feel so fortunate to be the one leading the organization to continue to fulfill its vision of being a star on the regional cultural landscape. Having attended opera in many places throughout the world, I can say for certain that Saskatoon Opera’s audience is absolutely unique in its strength of energy and depth of engagement. The first and only true standing ovation that I have ever witnessed was at Saskatoon Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville. Most standing ovations begin with a group of enthusiastic patrons sitting near the front with the movement trickling back through the audience sitting farther back. However, this standing ovation was quite different. The performance was so enjoyable that the very instant the lights went down at the opera’s conclusion, the entire audience stood up at once without waiting for any cue from those in front of them. And just exactly at the same moment, every seat chair in the theatre folded up. It is the power of this noise, the boisterous rumble of five hundred chairs folding up at exactly the same moment amid delighted cheers and applause that I will forever associate with Saskatoon Opera. It is my hope that I can play a role in helping others experience a moment like this, where they witness firsthand the transformative power of the arts. During my tenure, I will work with the Saskatoon Opera executive to strengthen the already significant partnerships that Saskatoon Opera has with the arts community and work to cultivate relationships with new stakeholders. Together, we will work to expand educational and outreach programs for youth in order to grow the audience of the future and to nurture emerging artistic talent. These actions will promote the sustainability of Saskatoon Opera and ensure this great organization continues to flourish for many years to come. Please consider this an open invitation to get in touch with me. I would love to discuss the present and future path of the organization as well as the many ways in which you can become involved. Sincerely, Briana Brownell President Saskatoon Opera [email protected]