Ryan Fleur is promoted to president of the Philadelphia Orchestra
Fleur had been interim president since January, when Matias Tarnopolsky left to head the New York Philharmonic. Fleur said he will concentrate on trying to fill seats for the roughly 20% of capacity that is not being regularly sold.
'I also want to aggressively make our venues available to both community groups and education groups that might not otherwise realize that these spaces are open to them,' he said. 'I want every Philadelphia school student, K (kindergarten) through 12 to walk through our doors at least three times in their formative years, whether it's coming to a Philadelphia Orchestra open rehearsal or a school concert or to our jazz for freedom program, which connects the history of jazz with the civil rights movement. '
Now 53, Fleur was president and CEO of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra from 2003-12, when he became Philadelphia's executive director of orchestra advancement. He also served as interim president in 2018 after Allison Vulgamore left to run the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and before Tarnopolsky started in Philadelphia.
Fleur had been Philadelphia's executive director since 2021, the year the orchestra merged with the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the orchestra's home. The institution rebranded as Ensemble Arts Philly last year.
Revenue for the 2023-24 season was $132.6 million, of which 38% was ticket sales, 24% from ancillary streams such as parking and rentals and 38% from contributions and endowment. Capacity for all presentations was 76% in 2023-24, up from 69% in 2022-23. This season is on track for 77%.
'We are seeing audiences now at levels slightly higher than before the pandemic,' he said. 'It's no longer predominantly subscribers. There are a lot of single-ticket buyers. One of the benefits of the merger is that we have a very large database through many genres to cross-market to. We see people attending not just Broadway (shows), but they'll come to an orchestra classical performance and they'll come to a jazz performance.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Mark Brokaw, Theater Director Known for Slight-of-Set Magic, Dies at 66
Mark Brokaw, a director of Broadway, Off Broadway and regional productions, who shepherded the work of rising playwrights like Kenneth Lonergan, Lisa Kron, Paula Vogel and Nicky Silver beginning in the early 1990s, died on June 29 at his home in Manhattan. He was 66. His husband, Andrew Farber, said the cause was prostate cancer. Mr. Brokaw was comfortable with the classics. He directed productions of Molière's 'Tartuffe,' W. Somerset Maugham's 'The Constant Wife' and the musical 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella' — albeit a Cinderella with a fresh, feminist gloss. But he was a specialist in new plays, including Patrick Marber's 'After Miss Julie,' which he directed in 2009; Mr. Lonergan's 'This Is Our Youth,' which he directed in 1996 and again in 1998; and Ms. Kron's 'The 2.5 Minute Mile,' in 1999. And he had something of a subspecialty in the nonlinear storytelling seen in works like Douglas Carter Beane's 'As Bees in Honey Drown' and Ms. Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning 'How I Learned to Drive'; he directed both in 1997. 'Mark was especially good with plays that jump around in time, and you had multiple people playing multiple parts,' said the actor Cynthia Nixon, who worked with Mr. Brokaw on 'As Bees in Honey Drown' and Lisa Loomer's 'Distracted' in 2009. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Miami Herald
7 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Why the Coconut Grove Playhouse project is a revival, not a demolition
A recent Op-Ed in the Miami Herald by Miami resident and theatergoer Barry J. White about the Coconut Grove Playhouse renovation reflects a heartfelt concern. The Playhouse, closed since 2006, is undergoing a long-awaited transformation, including the restoration of its historic front façade and the construction of a new 300-seat theater. White argues that the current renovation is effectively a demolition of the original 1,100-seat main theater, replaced with a venue 'with just 300 seats,' which he believes 'is economically nonviable for hosting Broadway touring companies, which require at least 1,000 seats.' I appreciate White's passion. As the producing artistic director of GableStage, which is entering its 27th season and is set to become the resident theater company at the renovated Playhouse, I'd like to offer some insight on what lies ahead. Most important, I want to emphasize that what we are building at the Playhouse is much more than just a building. The project now underway is not about demolition — it is about revival. It honors the history that White rightly values while looking toward a future defined by artistic excellence, civic participation and lasting community impact. As the future operator of the Playhouse, GableStage will perform in a fully equipped, state-of-the-art regional theater. The new venue will include an orchestra pit, fly loft, and wing space — essential infrastructure for producing ambitious, fully realized work. What is being built is not a scaled-down version of something greater. It is a purpose-built space designed for world-class artistry and long-term sustainability. The revitalized Playhouse will once again become a cultural gathering place for Coconut Grove and the broader Miami community. The impact of a theater is measured not only by what takes place on its stage, but by what it makes possible beyond its walls. The mission of a regional theater is to serve as a center for imagination — a place where community and artistry meet, where ideas are exchanged, and where stories reflect the people it serves. That is the role GableStage embraces fully. Currently, GableStage produces a five-play season in its 138-seat theater located at the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. The company has received 72 Carbonell Awards — South Florida's most prestigious theater honor — and more than 200 nominations. We are also proud recipients of the Ruth Forman Award for major advancements in the South Florida theater scene. Founded in 1979 as Florida Shakespeare Theatre, GableStage began by performing Shakespeare's plays in repertory at the outdoor Casino Gardens at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Our work has always been rooted in place, created with intention, and offered in direct dialogue with our audiences. At the Grove, our impact will deepen. Through a transformational partnership with Florida International University, we will collaborate with both students and faculty across disciplines to build new bridges between education, the arts and civic life. Our work has never been confined to the stage. A theater company is a citizen of its community. Whether through public programs, partnerships with local organizations, or expanded outreach to underserved schools, GableStage will continue to grow the work we already do across Miami. Theater, at its best, is a civic necessity. It teaches us to listen, to empathize, to imagine. GableStage exists to inspire optimism and creative problem-solving in response to the challenges we face as a society. We will continue to play a vital role in Miami's vibrant professional theater ecosystem— one we are proud to be part of and proud to help strengthen. Our move to Coconut Grove is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in something enduring. We are not simply restoring a building; we are writing a new chapter in Miami's cultural story while honoring the legacy of the original Playhouse. We are honored to do so — and we invite Barry White and others in the community to join us. Bari Newport is the producing artistic director of GableStage, set to become the resident theater company at the renovated Coconut Grove Playhouse.
![Cynthia Erivo's Fave Vocal Performances Include A Shocking Pick: Sisqó's 'Thong Song' [List]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fglobalgrind.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F16%2F2025%2F07%2F17514726114737.jpg%3Fquality%3D80%26strip%3Dall&w=3840&q=100)
![Cynthia Erivo's Fave Vocal Performances Include A Shocking Pick: Sisqó's 'Thong Song' [List]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblackamericaweb.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Black America Web
8 hours ago
- Black America Web
Cynthia Erivo's Fave Vocal Performances Include A Shocking Pick: Sisqó's 'Thong Song' [List]
Known for her powerhouse pipes and commanding stage presence, Cynthia Erivo has long been celebrated as one of this generation's most gifted vocalists. When Entertainment Weekly (EW) asked the Tony, Emmy, and Grammy winner to name her top seven vocal performances of all time, her list included an unexpected — yet hilarious, heartfelt and relatable— nod to early 2000s R&B. Check out her list inside. Erivo sat down with EW to share her favorite vocal performances, and we were pleased to find Sisqó's 'Thong Song' amongst the top seven. 'I'm going to get in trouble for this one,' Erivo joked in the video interview, before defending the flamboyant, falsetto-filled track. 'Why do you need to sing like this when singing about a thong? That key change? The commitment? It is a good vocal.' Her choices spanned genres and generations, reflecting her love for storytelling through song, dynamic vocal technique, and unfiltered emotion. From gospel-rooted legends to pop titans and Broadway icons, Erivo's list offers a masterclass in vocal expression — with a little levity along the way. Here's the full list of Cynthia Erivo's seven favorite vocal performances: Cynthia Erivo's Fave Vocal Performances Include A Shocking Pick: Sisqó's 'Thong Song' [List] was originally published on 1. Sisqo – 'Thong Song' Source:YouTube Erivo called this pick 'a praise break.' With its dramatic runs, belted high notes, and sheer dedication to a wild premise, she praised Sisqó's vocal performance as both technically impressive and gloriously over-the-top. 2. Whitney Houston – 'Porgy and Bess' Medley Source:YouTube Erivo highlighted Houston's classical poise and gospel soul in this medley performance, emphasizing her stunning emotional control and interpretive brilliance. 3. Jennifer Holliday – 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going' Source:YouTube A staple of Broadway greatness, Holliday's original Dreamgirls performance remains a gold standard. 'You can hear the pain,' Erivo said. 'It makes you feel something.' 4. Jazmine Sullivan – 'Home' (age 11) Source:YouTube Erivo spotlighted a school performance of The Wiz by a very young Sullivan. 'At that age, with that kind of power? Unbelievable,' she marveled. 5. Aretha Franklin – 'Dr. Feel Good' Source:YouTube 'She was having the time of her life,' Erivo said, praising Franklin's soul, sass, and vocal control in this spirited performance. 6. Luther Vandross – 'A House Is Not a Home' Source:YouTube Calling it one of the most emotionally honest performances ever, Erivo described it as 'an unraveling in real time.' 7. Beyoncé – 'Resentment' Source:YouTube Bey's vocal dexterity and pain-soaked delivery earned her a final spot. 'It's controlled, but you feel every word,' Erivo said. Cynthia's list is proof that vocal greatness can be found in both church pews and club bangers — thong songs included. Be sure to check out the full video here.
