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The soprano Patricia Racette has performed on some of the world\u2019s biggest stages, but she has long felt a special connection to Opera Theater of St. Louis, where she made her debut in 1993.<\/p>\n
Now Racette, 59, will deepen her ties to St. Louis: She will lead Opera Theater as its next artistic director, the company announced on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Racette, who has directed productions for the company and overseen its young artist program for six years, said she was excited by the challenge of working to keep opera fresh and relevant.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels like a very natural evolution for me,\u201d she said. \u201cI feel we all have a stake in this.\u201d<\/p>\n
She begins her tenure in October and will succeed James Robinson, who departed last year<\/a> to lead Seattle Opera as general and artistic director.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Racette said she would build on Opera Theater\u2019s reputation for experimentation. The company, founded in 1976, has given the premiere of works like Terence Blanchard\u2019s \u201cFire Shut Up in My Bones,\u201d which later became the first work by a Black composer<\/a> to be presented by the Metropolitan Opera. She said that she hoped to work with a variety of contemporary composers, including Kevin Puts, Jonathan Dove and Missy Mazzoli.<\/p>\n \u201cI have a perspective and passion for new works, and I\u2019m going to enjoy applying that perspective and passion again on the other side of the curtain,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Racette, who made her debut at the Met in 1995, is known for her portrayals of Puccini heroines. She has also ventured into other genres, including cabaret, which she said she hoped to bring to St. Louis. She said opera companies should not fear crossover repertoire.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are our stories and traditions,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity for accessibility, relevance and impact.\u201d<\/p>\n Many opera companies, including Opera Theater of St. Louis, are grappling with rising costs and the lingering effects of the pandemic. The company has benefited from a robust endowment, which is currently valued at about $100 million, and is exploring building a new home at the former headquarters of a shoe company in Clayton, a suburb of St. Louis. (Its theater is in another suburb, Webster Groves.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Racette said she was not daunted by financial challenges.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re just going to have to get more creative,\u201d she said. \u201cThe arts in troubling times are more important than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n