“After more than 100 years of performances, the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming season will be its last,” writes Paul Srubas in Saturday’s (5/3) Green Bay Press-Gazette (Wisconsin). “ ‘We cannot continue offering high-quality, professional performances not knowing from concert to concert if we’ll be able to cover our costs,’ GBSO executive director Dan Linssen said in a statement released Friday.… The Green Bay organization’s … three youth orchestras … will maintain their 2014-15 seasons as planned and likely will continue in some capacity…. ‘Our budget has run roughly between $500,000 and $600,000 a year, and these last few years, we’ve been losing $30,000 to $50,000 a year…. If we would have a full audience at our concerts, this would not be an issue,’ [Linssen] said…. The Green Bay Symphony … is the only area symphony orchestra with professional musicians. It split with its amateur members about 20 years ago, which led to the birth of a new organization, the Green Bay Civic Symphony, which continues to operate with primarily local, volunteer musical talent.” The article notes that Music Director Donato Cabrera has stepped down from his position “but not as a result of the announced closure.” Cabrera was recently named music director of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, and also serves as resident conductor of the San Francisco Symphony.
Posted May 5, 2014
