Melanie Feilotter

Just like its artistic counterparts, the opera industry last year made cutbacks (in jobs and salaries, for example) and compromises (fewer productions and performances) to continue to thrive. Since the recession began, funding sources have shifted, with federal funding, corporate support, and subscriptions on the decline. Foundation support varies regionally. At the same time, costs have continued to escalate at a rate significantly greater than the Consumer Price Index.