Gregg Kvistad, Anne McGonagle, Roopesh Aggarwal, Mike Huseby and Heather Miller to lead 89-year-old organization
Dr. Gregg Kvistad
Co-Chair
Anne McGonagle
Co-Chair
Roopesh Aggarwal
President
DENVER, Colo., January 12, 2021 – During a time of uncertainty in the performing arts world, Central City Opera is fortunate to name five prestigious community leaders in 2021 officer positions on the Board of Directors. The Board steered the 89-year-old nonprofit organization throughout a challenging 2020 and remains dedicated to the advancement of Colorado’s oldest opera company.
“We are excited about the energy and commitment that our new slate of officers brings to the organization,” said Pelham “Pat” Pearce, Artistic/General Director of Central City Opera. “2021 promises to be a year of new potential and new beginnings for CCO and the performing arts across the globe.”
Gregg Kvistad, Provost Emeritus and Professor at the University of Denver, and Anne McGonagle, a prolific Colorado philanthropist involved with numerous organizations, take on the roles of co-chairs of the 30-person board. Roopesh Aggarwal, Senior Director of Business Innovation at Xcel Energy, continues his role as Board President for a third year.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to partner with Anne and Gregg in their new roles,” said Aggarwal. “They have been critical components of CCO’s success to-date. There is no question they will add to the Company’s success in the year to come.”
In addition to the new co-chairs, Mike Huseby of CH Partners continues as Board Secretary and Heather Miller, Chief Marketing Officer at UMB Financial Corporation, was named the new Board Treasurer. The Board leadership oversees the festival production, fundraising, educational programming and historic property preservation arms of Central City Opera.
“I am honored to serve as co-chair of Central City Opera’s Board of Directors with Anne McGonagle at this time of challenge and great anticipation,” said Kvistad.
After helping to raise more than $350,000 for the organization’s COVID-19 Relief Fund to pay all of its 2020 Festival artists and staff a portion of their contracts, the Board remains optimistic about the ability to provide live opera and musical theatre during the 2021 summer festival season.
“It will be a pleasure continuing to work closely with Central City Opera while we navigate this tricky but increasingly encouraging time of delivering opera and musical theatre to our patrons,” said McGonagle.
About Central City Opera
Founded in 1932, Central City Opera is the fifth oldest professional opera company in the country and is renowned for its exquisite world-class productions, competitive and robust young artist training program and creative educational and community engagement activities. Its summer festival, only 35 miles west of Denver, takes place at 8,500 feet above sea level in the Colorado mountain town of Central City, where the company owns and maintains 27 Victorian-era properties, including the intimate 550-seat jewel box opera house built in 1878. For information, visit centralcityopera.org. For tickets and more information, call (303) 292-6700 or email boxoffice@centralcityopera.org.
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