The Power of Opera | Christina Scheppelmann | TEDxUofW

Christina Scheppelmann has directed operas that are uniquely catered to many region’s peoples. Her passion and knowledge of Opera is sure to get you excited! Born in Hamburg, Germany, Christina Scheppelmann is the fourth General Director to lead Seattle Opera. As the Artistic Director General at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, a position she held from 2015-2019, Scheppelmann was responsible for programming, casting, and overall artistic direction. Prior to that, she was the first Director General of the Royal Opera House Muscat (Oman), the first theater of its kind in the Gulf Region, where her mission was to present high-quality music, opera, and dance from around the world. Under her leadership, ROHM established an excellent reputation as a cultural destination in Oman and opened doors for international musical and cultural relations. As Director of Artistic Operations at Washington National Opera, Scheppelmann oversaw the artistic planning for 11 years. She was instrumental in fundraising efforts, leading to grants for individual productions, ongoing projects and renovations. Her passion for the artform and interest to see it flourish into the future led her to conceive of and secure funding for WNO’s American Opera Initiative, offering young composers and librettists a developmental forum in which to bridge the gap between conservatory training and full-length commissions. A long-time champion of young artists, she has led masterclasses, lectured at artist training programs, and judged vocal competitions around the world. Scheppelmann began her career in the arts early-on, performing in the children’s choir of the Hamburg State Opera. After completing a degree in banking, she left her home country of Germany in 1988 to work in an Artist Management agency in Milan. Fluent in five languages, she quickly became known for her communication skills and was soon offered a job in arts administration at the Gran Teatre del Liceu. In 1994, she was recruited by Lotfi Mansouri to assist him at San Francisco Opera where, as one of the youngest artistic administrators at the time, she continued her work in planning seasons and hiring singers, conductors, directors and designers. Ms. Scheppelmann prides herself on having built solid collaborative relationships with union and civic leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, and national and international press. Scheppelmann was previously awarded the rank of Commendatore in the Order of the Star of Solidarity by the Italian government for her career-long work promoting opera and Italian culture. She also served as the Vice President for the board of Opera Europa, the professional organization of opera houses and festivals. Instagram: @scheppelmannch Twitter: @ScheppelmannCh This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx