The head of the Opera Company of North Carolina has resigned and a search will be launched for his replacement, the board of directors announced today.
Frank Grebowski has been general director of the regional opera company for three years. He does not have a new job lined up, according to the statement.
Grebowsk's resignation comes as arts organizations across the country are struggling. The Raleigh-based company is no exception: Last year it postponed its production of "Rigoletto" until earlier this month. That could be the only full-scale opera the group produces this season, as Grebowski has said the company would wait to see how the economy fares before decided what to do in the spring.
But the announcement released today didn't blame the economy for Grebowski's departure. The company has been able to "expand its seasons, increase and diversity its audience, restructure financially and position for future growth" under Grebowski's term, it said.
"We have all learned a great deal under Frank's leadership, and we have been particularly fortunate to have him at the helm during the recent economic upheaval," board chairwoman Florence Peacock said in the statement.
"The company is ready to introduce a new and exciting era of opera in Raleigh," Grebowski says in the announcement. "I have accomplished what I set out to do, and feel good about handing over the leadership to a new team with new ideas."
Francis A. Acquaviva, vice-chairman of the board, will replace Grebowski on an interim basis. A nationwide search for a new general director will begin, and a replacement hired by the first of the year.
Grebowski, who has an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was brought on board in 2006 under the wing of founding artistic director Robert Galbraith and his wife, Margaret, who long handled administrative duties for the company. Under Grebowski, the company moved to new offices on Fayetteville Street and established new ways of reaching into the community, through mini-performances and fundraisers. New board members were also brought in to rejuvenate the opera organization.
The Galbraiths stepped down in 2007. Grebowski said he will be looking for work in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors.
