“Pittsburgh Opera’s attendance grew by more than a 13% this past year,” writes Jeremy Reynolds in Monday’s (8/19) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Amid the increased buzz, the organization this summer appointed a new chairman of the board. Dr. Donald Fischer, [who] succeeds Gene Welsh, is a retired pediatric cardiologist and national health policy expert who lives in Squirrel Hill. Q: How did you become interested in music? Fischer: I studied piano for 10 years. [As] an undergraduate at Notre Dame, I sang with the Glee Club…. I used to play clarinet.… It’s not uncommon to see doctors at the symphony or the opera. As a matter of fact, I think there’s a marketing opportunity there, getting people back into going to musical performances…. They have a background, an affinity for it. Q: What are your priorities for your term as chair? Fischer: We need a path to the future that ensures longevity…. I’ve got to help grow the donor pool. Q: People have worried about audience graying for decades now. Fischer: Yep. We’ve got younger board members now… The [opera’s new mobile app] helps keep them connected.… The future is solid, but … we need to keep doing new stuff.”
Posted August 23, 2019
