Scarlet Masque Theatre Journal New Beginnings and Fond Farewells Vol. 1 | Page 49

Rudel was initially supposed to share the post with Sills, however, he resigned
abruptly upon the availability of another position, leaving Sills with “a company
burdened with debt and unsure of its direction.” (New York Times, 2007). To steady the
ship, Sills placed a premium on making the company “a haven for talented younger
American artists,”—even more than previously—and making the repertoire increasingly
diverse (New York Times, 2007). Under Sills, NYCO became “the first American
company to use supertitles.” (New York Times, 2007). This furthered the company’s
commitment to accessibility, however, it did not entirely alleviate financial issues, thanks
in no small part to a fire that destroyed thousands of costumes for multiple productions
(New York Times, 2007). However, thanks to Sills’ networking and fundraising, she
retired in 1989 boasting a budget that had increased by three times the original amount
and the company’s profits resting comfortably in the black (New York Times, 2007).
Sills was succeeded by conductor Christopher Keene, who furthered the
company’s commitment to producing new work by staging consistently groundbreaking
seasons in his six year tenure prior to his death in 1995 (New York Times). Paul
Kellogg, who had great success in the Glimmerglass opera company, took over the
position in 1996 and provided a healthy dose of baroque opera to the company’s
repertoire (New York Times). Kellogg also showed concern towards the accessibility of
operatic performance, causing him to create the “Opera for All event,” which catered to
all types of audience in hopes of introducing many to opera for the first time. A highlight
in the tenure of Kellogg occurred after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, where he chose to open
the company’s season on September 15, 2001 (New York Times, 2001). The Times
states that the decision was brought about by “urging of New York City Mayor Rudy
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