Lester Freedman

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Lester Freedman (died May 29, 1994, Los Angeles [1] ) was an American opera director. In 1959 he founded the Toledo Opera and in 1960 he founded the Dayton Opera. He led both organizations concurrently until 1981 when he resigned from his post in Dayton. [1] In May 1983 he was fired from his position as director of the Toledo Opera after 24 years of service. His termination was preceded by several years of financial difficulties and in-fighting between Freedman and several of the opera board's members. The following year he founded the Lyric Opera Association of Toledo. [2]

The Toledo Opera is an American opera company based in Toledo, Ohio. Founded in 1959, the company's first General Director was Lester Freedman with conductor Joseph Hawthorne of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra serving as Music Director. In 1960, Freedman founded the Dayton Opera and for many years he led the two organizations simultaneously - an arrangement which cut down on production costs for both companies. In 1983 Freedman was forced out of his position by the Toledo Opera Board after several years of financial problems and in-fighting among the company's leadership. Several interim directors kept the company going over the next three years, including David Bamberger and Johan van der Merwe.

Dayton Opera is an American opera company based in Dayton, Ohio. The company makes its home at the Schuster Performing Arts Center in downtown Dayton where it annually produces three operas and an operatic concert and has an annual budget of approximately $2 million. Thomas Bankston is the General and Artistic Director.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Saying Goodbye to an Eventful Year", Dayton Daily News , January 1, 1995
  2. ↑ Jack Lessenberry (June 9, 1983). "New Toledo Opera Group is Launched by Freedman". Toledo Blade .
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