New York, NY — On Site Opera is excited to announce the appointment of its new Executive Director, Piper Gunnarson. A seasoned nonprofit arts administrator, Piper has extensive experience in theater administration for organizations spanning all manifestations of the art form, including classical plays, new work, musicals, and children’s theater.
Says Piper of the appointment: “On Site Opera has earned such a sterling reputation for its visionary and invigorating approach to opera production. I am beyond excited and truly honored to get to work with Eric, Geoff, and the Board in charting the next course for this inspiring company.”
Prior to joining the team at On Site Opera, Piper was the Managing Director for the Random Farms Kids’ Theater, a prominent youth-focused theater institution in Westchester, NY, where she steered strategic plans to establish and strengthen the administrative functions of the company. Before that, Piper served as the General Manager / Producer for the Gallatin Arts Festival, the Director of Development for the Abingdon Theatre Company, and has consulted for numerous nonprofit theaters on fundraising and strategic planning. She also worked in the Education/Outreach Department for the Geffen Playhouse, managed grants for the Will Geer Theatricum, and apprenticed with the Lark Play Development Center on program management. Piper holds a B.A. in Theatre from the University of California, San Diego and an M.A. in Leadership For The Arts from NYU’s Gallatin School Of Individualized Study.
ABOUT ON SITE OPERA
Over the course of five short seasons, On Site Opera (OSO) has established itself as one of New York City’s most imaginative, cutting-edge opera companies. As The New York Times wrote: “On Site Opera presents the ultimate in intimate productions by performing works in spaces that fit the setting of the story.” OSO’s immersive, site-specific performances have taken place in venues ranging from the the Bronx Zoo to the Cotton Club to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, pushing the boundaries of what opera can do and be and blurring the lines between performer and audience to create a uniquely powerful musical experience.
Upcoming performances include Mozart’s The Secret Gardener at the West Side Community Garden (May 11-13, co-produced with The Atlanta Opera’s Discoveries series), the U.S. premiere of Milhaud’s La mère coupable at The Garage, a Hell’s Kitchen industrial space owned by fashion designer Kenneth Cole (June 20, 22-24), and the world premiere of John Musto’s Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt at the American Museum of Natural History’s Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs (Sept-Oct, co-commissioned and co-produced with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Lyric Unlimited and Pittsburgh Opera).
Founded in 2012, OSO’s team of General & Artistic Director, Eric Einhorn and Music Director, Geoffrey McDonald are dedicated to producing site-specific opera in nontraditional venues throughout New York. Dubbed “So much more than Sleep No More” by The New York Observer, OSO molds its productions to specific locations using physical space to create an environment in which the concept, storytelling, music, and performers unite to form an immersive, cohesive, and meaningful whole. OSO, a registered 501(c)(3), is a proud member of Opera America and the New York Opera Alliance. www.osopera.org
