17 replies to this topic

[LMCtech]

Interesting posts about the AD/CEO issue. From my experience in regional theater, opera and ballet, the companies whose AD/CEO work in very distinctly separate areas of the company do the best. SF Ballet and SF opera both work in the AD handles artistic issues, CEO handles business issues mode and both companies are running very successfully right now. There are of course places where both leaders are needed ie board meetings and fundraisers, but as long as they don't try to do more than their backgroungs allow, there aren't problems.

[LMCtech]

Interesting posts about the AD/CEO issue. From my experience in regional theater, opera and ballet, the companies whose AD/CEO work in very distinctly separate areas of the company do the best. SF Ballet and SF opera both work in the AD handles artistic issues, CEO handles business issues mode and both companies are running very successfully right now. There are of course places where both leaders are needed ie board meetings and fundraisers, but as long as they don't try to do more than their backgroungs allow, there aren't problems.

[felursus]

I think it was clear from the statements he made to the press that Babcock did NOT respect the goals/priorities that Anna-Marie Holmes, the recently departed BB AD, had set.  He made it clear that HE was the boss and that he was going to set things up the way he wanted.  Interesting that things seem to have collapsed on him with the sudden departure of Gielgud, (I would have LOVED to have been a fly on the wall during their meetings), and the non-rehiring of some of the best dancers in the BB, (one wonders who really wanted them gone - it may have been Gielgud who didn't want to retain them, but it certainly was Babcock who was delighted to see them gone - otherwise at least some of them would have been retained as was the case of the "on the fence" people).  One is almost afraid to look at a Boston newspaper in case a new disaster breaks out.