County Council recognizes Seattle Opera Director Speight Jenkins

March 19, 2012

Summary

National 2011 Opera Honors recipient will be stepping down in 2014

Story

The Metropolitan King County Council today recognized Seattle Opera General Director Speight Jenkins for his years of service at the Seattle Opera and congratulated him on receiving the 2011 Opera Honors, the highest national honor in opera.

“The Seattle Opera is a treasure, drawing international visitors and acclaim for our region, and we owe a great deal of that prestige and success to longtime General Director Speight Jenkins,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, co-sponsor of the recognition. “Under Mr. Jenkins’ leadership, Seattle Opera has thrived, and I thank him on behalf of the people of King County for his contributions to our community.”

“Speight Jenkins has made a passionate contribution to arts and culture in King County,” said Council Vice Chair Jane Hague, a frequent patron of the Seattle Opera. “During his thirty years he’s transformed the Seattle Opera into a world-class organization.”

Jenkins has been the General Director of the Seattle Opera for almost thirty years, during which time the company has become internationally recognized and attained the highest per capita attendance of any major opera company in the United States. The Seattle Opera’s Education Department provides community programs that bring the arts education to children, adults, and families.

In addition to the honor from the NEA, the New England Conservatory also recognized Jenkins in 2011 with an honorary doctorate.

Jenkins has announced that he will be stepping down as director in 2014.

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RECOGNITION

WHEREAS, Speight Jenkins has been the much loved General Director of the Seattle Opera for almost 30 years; and

WHEREAS, he has been credited with turning the Opera into an internationally recognized company and one of the jewels of Seattle’s arts community; and

WHEREAS, under his direction, the Seattle Opera has created a host of landmark productions that have thrilled and delighted King County viewers for decades; and

WHEREAS, the Seattle Opera has attained the highest per capita attendance of any major opera company in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the Seattle Opera’s Education Department provides programs designed to foster a love of the arts in both young and old alike; and

WHEREAS, this past year, Speight Jenkins was awarded an honorary doctorate by the New England Conservatory and represented the opera field in America on the international jury for the 2011 Birgit Nilsson Prize; and

WHEREAS, Speight Jenkins is one of four recipients of the 2011 Opera Honors, the highest national honor in opera, awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts; and

WHEREAS, Speight Jenkins will be dearly missed when he steps down as director in 2014;

NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Metropolitan King County Council, recognize

SPEIGHT JENKINS

for his years of service at the Seattle Opera and congratulate him on receiving the 2011 Opera Honors.

DATED this nineteenth day of March, 2012.

Councilmembers join Seattle Opera General Director Speight Jenkins after recognizing Jenkins for being awarded the 2011 Opera Honors, the highest national honor in opera, by the National Endowment of the Arts.