Opera Steamboat, whose mission is to enrich the well-being of the Yampa River Valley through innovative, educational and collaborative musical arts programs, is welcoming new leadership.

Newly appointed General Director and CEO Julie Maykowski is prepared to bring her energy and vision to the organization, which is a vital part of the Steamboat Springs performing arts community.

The board-led organization’s vision, according to its website, is to be “recognized nationally as an innovative musical arts organization that creates inspiring productions in our unique Rocky Mountain setting.” Maykowski’s ideas for the future align perfectly with that vision and the trajectory that Opera Steamboat is currently on.  

Julie, who was born and raised in Colorado, brings an extensive level of experience to Opera Steamboat. After high school, she left the state and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Music and Voice from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, prior to earning a masters degree from Wichita State University and a Doctorate in Musical Arts from the University of Kansas.

She gained extensive experience as a singer, stage manager and stage director. Maykowski eventually decided to enter upper level administration and began a career where she worked with multiple organizations throughout the United States. She became the Director of Opera at San Diego State University and also worked for the Florida Grand Opera as well.

After a 37-year absence, she decided to return to Colorado to work for a company called Beth Morrison Projects, or B.M.P. 

Following the departure of Andres Cladera from Steamboat Opera, Maykowski was asked to take on the General Director and CEO role, which she at the time declined due to her happiness with the work that she was doing with B.M.P. Despite turning down that role, she began working with Steamboat Opera on their summer festival, where she produced “La bohème” in the summer of 2022. 

“I realized the rest of the season was not in a place where I could do it on a part-time basis,” Maykowski said.

Following the transition to Ben Robinson as Interim Artistic and Executive Director, she decided to become more involved with the organization. Robinson and Maykowski had worked and collaborated together before.

“I decided I would get involved again and start to do some strategic planning with the organization to try and help put them in a position for Ben’s success,” Maykowski said.

During that process, however, Robinson announced that he would not be returning, at which point Maykowski decided to capitalize on an offer to build on the amazing work that she had already done by becoming the General Director and CEO of Opera Steamboat. 

“I am very excited to now be fully involved and have the opportunity to try to help grow the organization,” Maykowski said.

She views the legacy of the organization in Steamboat Springs as being “founded on this extraordinary principle to bring world class singers to Steamboat, which I think is an amazing mission”. 

Maykowski gave a large amount of credit for the growth of the institution to Jack Dysart, who served in many capacities in the leadership structure of Opera Steamboat, explaining that for 12 years he played a key role in the organization’s ability to operate profitably while growing organically. 

Dysart currently serves as the secretary of the organization. 

Opera Steamboat, according to Maykowski, is planning to review its operating model. This approach builds on the prior strategic planning that she has already done with the organization prior to becoming General Director and CEO. 

“What we discovered was that maybe it was time to move away from just a summer festival and try to do some programmatic activity year round,” Maykowski said. “That’s definitely the direction that we are moving in.”

Since taking on her new role, she has begun networking with other musical organizations in the Yampa River Valley in an attempt to increase coordination, collaboration and possible co-presentations. These groups include Strings Music Festival and the Steamboat Symphony Orchestra. 

“In those conversations, it became clear that deeper partnerships would benefit everybody,” she said. “I am really excited about pursuing the possibility.” 

Those possibilities include Opera Steamboat capitalizing on a new momentum in the opera world to create new works while still honoring the body of standard repertoire. This would involve exploring crossing genres and “bending things a little bit”. 

“I think new audiences to opera are more interested, in many ways, in relevant and current topics,” Maykowski said. “I would like to really explore living composers and more commissions.”

For the 2024 season, the organization is looking forward to its opera in the school program, which this year will be presenting “Brundibár,” composed by Hans Krása and libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister. The piece, written in 1938, takes place during the Holocaust and, according to Opera Steamboat’s website, “is a beautiful children’s story, extolling the virtues of courage and cooperation and collective action against tyranny” in the ghetto of Theresienstad during World War II. 

“Brundibár” will be presented at schools in the area from March 7-17. There will also be public performances of it as well on March 16-17 at a time and location yet to be determined. 

Maykowski is also excited about the world premier of “Welcome to the Madness,” which will be performed this summer. The performance was composed by Leanna Kirchoff with the libretto by Rachel J. Peters. The piece captures the story of Charlotte Perry, Portia Mansfield and the background of the founding of the Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp in Steamboat.

Commissioned by Opera Steamboat, “Welcome to the Madness” will be performed at the Julie Harris Theater at Perry-Mansfield on Aug. 22-24 at 7:00 p.m. and on Aug. 25 at 2:00 p.m. 

Tickets for both “Welcome to the Madness” and “Brundibár” will go on sale in January. 

There are other things in the works as well, to which Maykowski said that avid opera-goers should “stay tuned” for as ongoing conversations are had and additional partnerships are created. They also plan to continue their rich history with the Opera Artists Institute, which is a training program for aspiring singers in operas. That program is currently transitioning from a pay-to-sing model to a structure where the artists are compensated for their talent. 

This is, according to Maykowski, “huge, and paramount, and super important” in the mission to make the program less elusive and more talent-based, thus “opening up more diversity.” That transition is not, however, without challenges. New sources for income generation are part of the budget moving forward. 

Meaningful partnerships, and civic practice, are going to be key aspects of Opera Steamboat’s goals in the future.

“Real civic practice is working with a group in your community that needs you and identifying real issues in the community and trying to take those things on,” Maykowski said.

This includes working with the disabled community while trying to find new funding in new places to do “lots of new and exciting things”. 

More information on Opera Steamboat can be found on their website, OperaSteamboat.org, or by calling 970-879-1996.