Eric Einhorn Press Release
ON SITE OPERA CO-FOUNDER, GENERAL AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ERIC EINHORN TO DEPART AT THE CLOSE OF 2023
NEW YORK, February 28, 2023 – On Site Opera, New York’s pioneer opera company rooted in site-specific storytelling and the immersive experience, announces the departure of co-founder, General and Artistic Director Eric Einhorn at the close of 2023. He will continue to guide the artistic vision of On Site Opera through 2023, including a production of Puccini’s Il Tabarro this May, as well as two new world premiere commissions in development. In addition, Einhorn plans to continue serving on the company’s Board of Directors after his departure, having served as a trustee since the company’s inception.
Einhorn co-founded On Site Opera in 2012, and it quickly became the country’s leading presenter of site-specific operas in nontraditional venues with collaboration, community, and storytelling in the foreground of its culture. Under his decade of leadership, more than 20 productions (including 3 world premieres and multiple U.S. and N.Y. premieres) brought a new model of music and storytelling to audiences through an accessible and authentic lens, reaching audiences across six countries and acting as a springboard for countless artists who have gone on to sing at the Metropolitan Opera and other prestigious companies. Einhorn created artistic partnerships with many seminal New York City institutions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The American Museum of Natural History, as well industry leaders such as Lyric Opera of Chicago and The Atlanta Opera.
On Site Opera made history when it became the first opera company to employ Google Glass supertitles, developed its own mobile app for multi-language translations, and offered opera by phone and by mail at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the last decade, the company committed significant efforts to expanding its team of dedicated employees, building a strong and active Board of Directors, and launching Artistic Advisory and Business Innovation Councils that have both enabled Einhorn to focus on his directorial and creative vision and created a strong and thriving infrastructure.
“When On Site Opera held its first production in 2012, I could never have imagined that the company would grow into what it is today,” Einhorn reflects. “Being the company’s co-founder, General & Artistic Director, and principal stage director has given me the opportunity to work alongside some of the most incredibly talented and generous artists, administrators, trustees, and patrons in the business. The On Site Opera community is built on a foundation of, not only, the creation of engaging site-specific opera, but of care for one another in a way that I have rarely experienced elsewhere in the arts. It is this community that has galvanized the work that we do – from that first production in 2012, through the challenges of the pandemic, to our return to in-person performances during our amazing 10th anniversary season.
“On Site Opera has never been stronger as an organization,” Einhorn continued. “However, the last few years, have been a time of significant change in parts of my life. After quite a bit of self-reflection, I have decided that 2023 will be my final year with On Site Opera in the role of General and Artistic Director. I am eager to discover what new experiences might await me while continuing my service to On Site Opera as a member of the board of directors. My decade at the company has been filled with amazing music, collaborations, innovation, and plenty of laughter. For all of this, and for the incredible On Site community, I am forever grateful.”
On Site Opera’s Board President, Corey Kinger, expresses the board’s gratitude to Einhorn for his decade of innovation, saying “Eric’s transformative vision, artistic excellence, entrepreneurial spirit, and thoughtful leadership created On Site Opera and built it into the unique and established opera company it is today. I am grateful for everything he has done for On Site Opera, as well as his commitment and continuing partnership as we produce innovative opera experiences.”
ABOUT ON SITE OPERA
Founded in 2012, New York City-based On Site Opera is the country’s leading presenter of site-specific operas in non- traditional venues. Rooted in collaboration and storytelling, On Site Opera celebrates the connection between artist and audience through highly curated experiences led by exciting opera artists and bold and innovative creative teams. Each On Site Opera production invites New Yorkers to explore their city in new and unique ways, while cultivating a new generation of opera audiences. To date, OSO has produced 19 operas in as many unique locations to critical acclaim, including the Bronx Zoo, Harlem’s historic Cotton Club, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the
American Museum of Natural History, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Committed to exploring new technology to make opera more accessible, OSO was the first opera company to employ Google Glass supertitles, and the company has currently developed its own mobile app for multi-language translations and digital program information.
Following extended COVID-related theater closures in 2020, On Site Opera was recognized as a leading organization in reimagining opera, bringing productions to audiences around the world through the telephone, by mail, and online in inventive and creative productions.
To learn more about On Site Opera, please visit www.osopera.org.
