Lyric Opera chief provides details, defends hiring of Fleming press rep
Lyric Opera of Chicago general director Anthony Freud provided more details Monday about the company’s hiring of Renée Fleming’s press manager, Alexandra Day. The announcement, released late Friday afternoon, that Day would be appointed to the new position of director of public relations in the Lyric’s marketing department, created an internet stir over the weekend on opera websites.
In e-mailed responses to questions submitted Friday, Freud said that Day would cease her employment with Fleming, the opera company’s creative consultant, once she begins working at Lyric in February.
“Alexandra Day will conclude her services as director of communications and business development for Renee Fleming in January before moving to Chicago and assuming her new responsibilities at Lyric in February,” wrote Freud.
The Lyric’s new chief also said that he does not see any potential for conflicts of interest or divided loyalties in having the former media representative of a celebrated, still-performing singer taking a leading role in the Lyric’s press office.
“Ms. Day’s three years’ experience working closely with Ms. Fleming, and the extensive international media contacts she has developed in that capacity and in her previous work at the Metropolitan Opera, are great assets to Lyric in general, and in publicizing the many facets of the Renee Fleming Initiative as they come to fruition,” wrote Freud. “As a member of Lyric’s full-time staff Ms. Day will manage and promote several projects separate from the Fleming Initiative in addition to her work associated with that initiative.
“I have full confidence in our expanded team’s ability to work together in the best interests of Lyric Opera, in order to make one of the outstanding opera companies of the world even better.”
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One Response to “Lyric Opera chief provides details, defends hiring of Fleming press rep”
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Posted Dec 12, 2011 at 7:20 pm by Chris
“created an internet stir over the weekend on opera websites.”
You mean on this site and Parterre, that bastion of Fleming hate?
Really, not much of a stir.
But glad he answered your questions. It’s good to get additional information.