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- 55-Year-Old Tenor Dies Onstage Mid-Performance
Joaquín Ledesma Marquina, a singer and choral conductor who was at the heart of a growing vocal music scene in the city of Querétaro, was giving a concert at the Centro de las Artes there when he suffered a heart attack. – OperaWire
- San Francisco’s Flagship Public Media Station Pays $895K To Settle Wage-Theft Lawsuit
“The (class-action) lawsuit … alleged that KQED failed to properly pay hourly workers and provide legally required meal and rest breaks. The complaint also accused the outlet of failing to provide accurate wage statements, reimburse certain employee expenses, timely pay final wages and produce employment records when requested.” – San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
- Can The 9/11 Museum Keep Going Like This?
“As one of New York’s most popular cultural destinations, it faces a number of challenges: how to evolve its sensitive content, reach a generation with no memory of the tragedy, and secure its financial future as former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, its primary benefactor, ages.” – The New York Times
- Fired Trinity Wall Street Music Director Gets Probation For Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Material
“The formerly prominent conductor Julian Wachner has been sentenced to nearly six years of probation after having pleaded guilty in July to five counts of possession of child sex abuse material and one count of possession of cocaine. Wachner must also register as a sex offender.” – NPR
- Vice President of Human Resources and Labor Relations – LA Opera via TOC Arts Partners
About the Opportunity
As one of the leading opera companies in the world, Los Angeles Opera began in 1986 as an outgrowth of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Arts Festival. With an annual budget of approximately $50 million and a year-round, full-time staff of 95 plus an additional 900 seasonal and part-time employees, the company currently presents five mainstage productions in its home at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles, as well as smaller scale presentations in other venues.
This critical role offers the chance to lead all human resources, organizational culture, and labor relations for the company as a key thought partner to, and direct report of, the CEO. Working closely with the entire executive team and board, they will ensure that strategic people initiatives bolster the organization’s commitment to artistic brilliance and mission-driven impact while maintaining the fiscal health and long-term vitality of the institution.
About LA Opera
Presenting benchmark productions of the standard repertoire alongside new and rarely staged works, LA Opera is a pillar of the Southern California arts community and the fourth-largest opera company in the United States. The company brings together world-renowned singers, conductors, directors, and designers to create opera that attracts the attention of audiences and critics nationally and internationally. Its seasons are wide-ranging, inviting Angelenos to experience beloved classics, rediscovered masterpieces and contemporary works across the mainstage, Off Grand, and other programs.
LA Opera has earned distinction for ambitious artistic initiatives that extend beyond individual productions. Since launching Recovered Voices in 2007, the company has maintained an unparalleled commitment to presenting works by composers whose lives and careers were affected by the Holocaust. Its first complete Ring cycle in 2010 inspired Ring Festival LA, a countywide exploration of the work’s cultural significance that became a model for subsequent multidisciplinary festivals, including Britten 100/LA, Figaro Unbound and Eurydice Found. These initiatives reflect LA Opera’s conviction that opera can serve as a catalyst for discovery, dialogue and civic engagement throughout Los Angeles.
Beyond the stage of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, LA Opera reaches communities across the region through adventurous Off Grand presentations and extensive learning and engagement programs. The company embraces its role as both an artistic leader and a civic institution, creating opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to encounter opera and participate in the cultural life of Los Angeles.
Christopher Koelsch has served as President and CEO since 2012, having joined LA Opera in 1997 and subsequently holding a series of artistic and executive leadership positions. The company enters its 40th anniversary season at a significant moment of artistic and institutional momentum. Domingo Hindoyan began his tenure as Music Director in July 2026, succeeding James Conlon, who concluded an acclaimed 20-year tenure and now serves as Conductor Laureate. Together, Koelsch and Hindoyan are building on four decades of achievement while shaping an ambitious and sustainable future for opera in Los Angeles.
Meet Domingo Hindoyan, Los Angeles Opera’s New Music Director (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT3nWA4KOKk)
Job Description
Reporting directly to the President and CEO, the Vice President of Human Resources and Labor Relations provides strategic leadership for the company’s human resources function, with responsibility for labor strategy and collective bargaining, executive counsel and employee relations, and the continued development of a modern, effective HR operation. The role also oversees compensation and benefits, talent acquisition, organizational development, workforce planning, professional learning, internal communications, EDIB initiatives, and compliance.
The Vice President will work across an unusually varied workforce encompassing administrative employees, artists, musicians, stage personnel, craftspeople, and other seasonal and union represented employees. Success will require fluency in institutional strategy, day-to-day employee relations, and the distinctive artistic, financial, and operational realities of a producing performing arts organization.
The work is based at the company’s offices at The Music Center in downtown Los Angeles. LA Opera maintains a hybrid workplace with personnel working onsite at its offices for a minimum of three days during the standard workweek. While remote work is available for the remaining days, all schedules remain subject to the institution’s evolving operational and production requirements. Notably, members of the executive leadership team typically maintain a more significant presence onsite than the established minimum policy.
Key Responsibilities – What You’ll Get to Do Here
The Vice President will lead this broad portfolio through sound prioritization, strong project management, and close partnership with executive leadership, department heads, external advisors, and an HR associate. The Vice President is fully supported by pro bono labor counsel. The work must be grounded in collaboration, confidentiality, clear communication, sound judgment, and trust. The successful candidate will have deep experience in as many of the following areas as possible:
Executive Leadership
- Act as a key advisor to the President and CEO, the executive leadership, and the Board on all matters involving human capital, organizational efficacy, and workplace culture.
- Function as the primary administrative liaison to the Board of Directors’ HR and EDIB committees.
- Collaborate with a board member dedicated as pro bono labor counsel in all areas of employment policy.
- Represent the executive leadership at institutional gatherings, performances, and community events to support broader donor and stakeholder relations.
Organizational Culture, Employee Engagement & EDIB
- Partner with the executive team and department heads to cultivate a workplace that mirrors LA Opera’s values: artistic brilliance, accountability, collaboration, and deep employee engagement.
- Lead EDIB strategies that strengthen belonging and organizational connection while improving the employee experience, recruiting and retention.
- Lead organizational design and change-management efforts that ensure institutional stability, operational efficiency, and professional excellence.
- Elevate leadership development and professional growth initiatives throughout the organization via targeted coaching, performance management, talent development, and robust succession planning.
- Monitor organizational climate and develop targeted interventions that improve workplace effectiveness, employee well-being, and the overall employee experience.
- Lead internal communications that promote transparency and institutional alignment.
Labor Relations
- Provide overarching vision and tactical execution for labor relations.
- Forge and sustain constructive labor-management partnerships across the organization’s nine collective bargaining agreements, balancing institutional stability, fiscal responsibility, operational agility, and the interests of represented employees.
- Serve as the chief spokesperson and lead negotiator during all collective bargaining sessions.
- Design negotiation frameworks that support fiscal health while fostering productive, long-term labor-management partnerships, with full support from pro bono labor counsel.
- Partner with Finance to model and evaluate the budgetary and operational implications of labor proposals.
- Provide strategic counsel to the Artistic and Production departments to integrate labor considerations into daily operational planning.
- Direct contract administration, including grievance management, dispute resolution, and preparation for any necessary arbitration.
- Stay abreast of labor trends and regulatory shifts within the nonprofit performing arts and entertainment landscape.
Human Resources Leadership
- Direct the full scope of human resources policies, programs, and professional services for the entire institution, aligning them with the company’s mission, values, and long-term operational requirements.
- Execute equitable and competitive compensation and benefits programs that align with modern workforce standards, fiscal responsibility, and organizational goals.
- Oversee sensitive employee relations matters, including workplace investigations, conflict resolution, and performance evaluation systems.
- Lead efforts in talent acquisition, onboarding, and workforce development to ensure a stable and skilled staff.
- Oversee HRIS platforms and data governance to ensure operational excellence and the security of confidential records.
Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure compliance with federal and state employment laws, with particular expertise in California requirements.
- Advise the executive team on regulatory developments, emerging employment risks, and appropriate institutional responses.
- Collaborate with legal counsel to address emerging labor relations issues and complex employment matters.
Candidate Profile & Qualifications
- A minimum of ten years of leadership experience within human resources and labor relations, specifically within highly unionized environments.
- A background in the performing arts sector is preferred.
- A proven track record of success in chief spokesperson roles for collective bargaining and the nuanced management of complex labor-management partnerships.
- Fluency with federal and state-specific employment statutes and labor regulations and the dynamic between them.
- The professional maturity to serve as a high-level advisor to executive leadership, effectively shaping long-term institutional strategy.
- Superior competencies in organizational leadership, transparent communication, and sophisticated negotiation, alongside expert-level facilitation and dispute resolution.
- Extensive experience directing cultural transformation and change management efforts while maintaining a steadfast commitment to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
Compensation
The salary range for this leadership role is $250,000 to $275,000. Los Angeles Opera recognizes that a comprehensive total rewards philosophy is essential to institutional excellence and the long-term vitality of our workforce. The organization is dedicated to providing a multifaceted health and wellness portfolio that emphasizes accessibility, quality, and individual choice. This commitment includes offering competitive benefit structures, robust health insurance options, and strategic programs designed to bolster financial security and retirement readiness.
Application Instructions
The Vice President of Human Resources and Labor Relations search is being conducted on behalf of Los Angeles Opera by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The search is being led by Senior Consultant Ed Yim, in consultation with and support from the TOC Arts Partners search team.
To apply, visit the online application and submit your materials. Your cover letter should include any training or experience relevant to the job profile that you would like to highlight, why you consider yourself a good fit for this opportunity, and anything else you’d like us to know about your qualifications that may not be present in your resume.
For general questions or nominations of prospective candidates, please contact:
searchteam@tocartspartners.com. We kindly request no phone calls.Specific questions about the position may be directed to:
Ed Yim, Senior Consultant: ed@tocartspartners.comApplications will be accepted until this role is filled. We encourage you to apply by October 9 for priority consideration. Interviews may begin at any time, and we encourage you to apply as early as possible for best consideration. Please note that applying before the priority deadline does not guarantee an interview, and all applicants will receive a response regarding the consideration and status of their candidacy.
Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that cis men apply for jobs when they fulfill an average of 60% of the criteria, while others tend only to apply if they meet every requirement. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. So, whether you’re returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.
MORE
- Detroit Symphony Quietly Lays Off Three Key Staffers
“Last week leadership at the DSO informed employees that the positions of Director of Safety & Security, Manager of Volunteer & Patron Experiences, and Director of Culture & Inclusion had all been eliminated and that the responsibilities connected to these positions would now be managed by other members of the current staff.” – Encore Michigan
- Robert Pinsky Wins Poetry Foundation’s $100,000 Ruth Lilly Prize
“Pinsky, an acclaimed poet and translator who served as U.S. laureate under the auspices of the Library of Congress from 1997-2000, won the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize. He has long enjoyed recognition beyond the poetry world, even making public appearances with fellow New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen.” – AP
- Getty Center In L.A. Temporarily Closed Due To Brush Fire
The fire, which was reported around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, apparently broke out near the Getty Center parking lot and progressed along the 405 Freeway. The blaze was contained later that evening and evacuation orders have been lifted, but the museum will remain closed on Thursday. – Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)
- The Ninety Nobody Wants From ChatGPT
Good Morning,
Students, it turns out, are tired of AI — not on principle, but because a ninety from ChatGPT doesn’t feel like anything, while a ninety earned over six hours in a basement does (The Walrus). Most people want to earn their accomplishments. That’s the argument culture often fails to win when it’s asked to justify itself in somebody else’s currency.
Today’s institutional news is that failure in four lenses. London’s Gate Theatre closes after 47 years, four years after Arts Council England zeroed it out (The Guardian). Hungary’s new government scrapped the National Gallery its predecessor planned as a monument to itself (The Art Newspaper). The Lucas Museum opens billing its collection as “the people’s art” (Los Angeles Times) while four contractors allege it called itself private to skip the rules that govern public building (Los Angeles Times). And Lonnie Bunch’s exit from the Smithsonian gets two perspectives: a legacy of keeping the place on mission (The Atlantic), and a warning that what can’t be captured gets destroyed by chaos (Washington Post).
Meanwhile, following the administration’s example, South Park has renamed itself South America, with thanks to “Paramount — a Skydance Capitulation” (The Guardian).
All of our stories below.
- Europe’s Largest Center For Dance Is Now Under Construction In The Netherlands
“Located on a prominent site in Rotterdam’s historic docklands, … Danshuis will be the largest centre in Europe dedicated to the production and development of dance under one roof. Open to all ages and levels of experience, it will provide facilities for both professional and amateur dance-making.” – Gramilano
- Many Students Are Sick Of AI
“Obviously, failing and struggling is not fun, but the sense of pride and succeeding afterwards is very, very motivating for me. And I don’t think you’d get that same kick or that same hit from getting a ninety from ChatGPT versus getting a ninety over an essay where you spent six hours in a basement.” – The Walrus
- Scott Rudin Is Back On Broadway Again — And These Next Projects Are Pretty Brave
The first, starting previews next month, is Bruce Norris’s Downstate, about four convicted sex offenders, one of whom is confronted by a now-adult victim. The second has less fraught subject matter; in fact, it has almost no words at all. Bess Wohl’s Small Mouth Sounds stars Julia Roberts and Paul Rudd. – The Hollywood Reporter
- Lonnie Bunch’s Smithsonian Legacy
Through a combination of principled stances and deft political skills, he has kept the sprawling institution on mission and aligned with its public. – The Atlantic
- Will The Lucas Museum Disrupt Museums?
The museum calls it “narrative art,” defined as art “created to tell stories through images.” George Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, have also described their collection as “the people’s art.” – Los Angeles Times
- London Loses Another Theatre Company As The Gate Shuts Down
“The Gate Theatre, which has punched above its weight ever since it was founded above a Notting Hill pub in 1979, is to close permanently next month. The announcement comes four years after the theatre had what it described as a ‘devastating’ 100% cut to its Arts Council England funding.” – The Guardian
- The Making Of American Sophistication
Sophistication, one begins to think, is a thing won against the grain of privilege—a substitute for it, a social sleight of hand. A “classy” entertainer is almost never someone from the upper classes; sophisticated people are mostly smart people passing as rich people. – The New Yorker
- Jerome Foundation works to close the Hope GapJerome Foundation announces an unprecedented increase in grantmaking this year, helping their grantees persevere and innovate in challenging times.
- Hungary’s New Government Cancels New Museum
Hungary’s new government has scrapped plans for a New National Gallery that was to form part of a development in Budapest’s City Park (Városliget) aimed at elevating the capital’s cultural standing. – The Art Newspaper
- Contractors Sue $1B Lucas Museum Over Unpaid Bills
The suit, one of four recently brought by contractors alleging nonpayment, claims the museum “actively promoted, contracted, and labeled the construction as a ‘private, non-profit development’ to bypass the rigorous administrative, registration, and bonding mandates of the California Public Contract Code, Civil Code, and Labor Code.” – Los Angeles Times (MSN)
- How Allen Ginsburg’s “Howl” Became A Free-Speech Landmark
In 1957, undercover police bought a copy of the poetry collection which featured “Howl” at City Lights bookstore in San Francisco — and proceeded to arrest owner Lawrence Ferlinghetti and manager Shig Murao for selling obscene material. Their trial set a major precedent in First Amendment case law. – BBC (MSN)
- We Need Word Detectives
We appreciate that each of us is a link in a millennia-long chain of language, connected to people over the centuries by the words they bequeathed us. Following where, and through whom, that chain has passed is the business of etymology. – Psyche
- The Meaning Of Lonnie Bunch Leaving The Smithsonian
What this administration cannot capture directly of the country’s culture, it destroys with chaos, making life intolerable for people who persevere in the audacious belief that things like “the increase and diffusion of knowledge” actually matter. – Washington Post (Yahoo)
- Trump Administration Strips Critical Language On Confederacy From Statue
That language has been removed from the website, and the marker in the cemetery has been replaced by a new sign that omits wording critical of slavery and the Confederacy. – Washington Post
- Choreographer Richard Alston, Pivotal Figure In British Contemporary Dance, Has Died At 77
“He played a leading role in developing the independent dance scene through the 1970s and early ‘80s, before going on to direct Ballet Rambert for six years from 1986, and then the Richard Alston Dance Company from 1994 to 2020.” – The Guardian
- Rome’s Largest Surviving Ancient Fresco/Mosaic Is Opening To Public, Three Decades After Its Discovery
“Mayor Roberto Gualtieri presented the recently restored ‘Painted City’ fresco and ‘Great Mosaic’ that were discovered in an underground gallery during excavations in the 1990s of the Baths of Trajan on the Oppio hill near the Colosseum.” The sites are opening on a trial basis, only on weekends, strictly for small groups. – AP
- We cannot quantify the richness of a nation’s literary life
In the English-speaking world, is there a decline in our literacy and in how people live with literature? For the past while there has been a debate on whether we are losing our literary culture – James Marriott thinks we are at the “dawn of the post-literate society” and has a forthcoming book that extends the argument. I’ll write up a review when I get my copy, but Henry Oliver has already obtained it, and gives some thoughtful pushback on Marriott’s analysis. Who’s right?
I’m not sure. My intuition leans towards Marriott, but it is not due to any of the statistical analysis he provides (nor am I comforted by the statistical analyses cited by people who think Marriott has it wrong). And this is because we are in the realm of the unquantifiable.
There is no data that will tell us whether people are reading, understanding, enjoying, discussing with their friends, good books. Because there is no such statistical category. I can look up that in 2025 there were over six hundred thousand books published through traditional means (rather than self-published) in the United States, which seems to me an astoundingly big number, but that doesn’t tell me anything about the number of new works of well-wrought fiction, or poetry, or non-fiction. I can tell you that as of the last survey on public “participation” in the arts, 46.6% of adults in Indiana read at least some novels, short stories, poetry or plays, but I can’t tell you how much of it was forgettable trash. Yes, it’s true that virtually everybody reads something, if only on their phones, but that’s not the same, is it? And even if I read good, thoughtful short pieces on the very platform where I first wrote this post, the Substackers worth reading are those who have a deep personal history, and continuing practice, of reading intelligent books.
We can’t quantify the state of film by looking at annual box office numbers, or counting the number of people who watched a movie last month, or looking at the number of films released. We can’t quantify the state of visual art by the number of new galleries, or auction prices at Christie’s, or what proportion of Michiganders went to a gallery last year. We can’t quantify the cultural life of a city (sorry, I mean “vibrancy”) by adding up how many people who call themselves artists live there, or how much money is spent on entertainment there.
Whether there is a decline in meaningful engagement with good books is subjective, and cannot be calculated. It doesn’t mean we cannot say anything – the function of criticism is to bring an experienced, closely observant, unbiased eye to new (and old) works of art and music and literature, even if that eye is necessarily subjective (I am Humean on this subject). And I think the important question to ask about the current state of literacy is whether there continues to be a wide enough selection of new books that are worthwhile (and I’ll confess I find the evidence from the New York Times Book Review rather depressing on that front), and whether there continues to be a healthy critical mass of people who read them. (We could do the same thing for any genre of art). Whether people are increasingly relying on audiobooks, whether new bookstores are opening, with entire shelves devoted to gay hockey player fiction, whether there’s been a recent uptick in sales of The Odyssey, are side issues.
I think the question is important – intelligent debate about things that matter (and I don’t just mean political issues) depends on a culture of books, even if not everyone takes part (and clearly not everyone does, or ever did). “Takes” that are found on blogs, or magazines, or op-ed pages of what’s left of newspapers, will only decline in quality as people start thinking they are a sufficient substitute for the depth that can only be found in books – all we will be left with is takes about takes (writes someone composing a take, yes I know!).
Cross-posted at https://michaelrushton.substack.com/
- The Half-Dozen DC-Area Venues Where The National Symphony Will Play This Season
“Many performances will be staged at multiple venues, bringing the NSO to new places and making the shows more accessible to the broader D.C. region than ever before. With so many venues to choose from, we put together a guide.” – The Washington Post (Yahoo!)
- Following Trump’s Example, The “South Park” Guys Rename Their Show “South America”
“Inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are changing the name of South Park to SOUTH AMERICA,” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker said in a statement. “We especially want to thank our parent company Paramount – a Skydance Capitulation.” – The Guardian
- Appalled Eiffel Tower Staffers Strike After Their Female Colleagues Are Told To Make Themselves Scarce
“The Eiffel Tower closed Monday due to strikes over outrage that female workers were allegedly ordered to leave and stay out of sight to comply with a special request from a traditional Hindu delegation that visited the monument over the weekend.” – ARTnews
- Anna Netrebko’s Lawsuit Against Met Opera Thrown Out For Second Time
“In her decision, … Judge Annalisa Torres said that Netrebko and her team failed to prove that Peter Gelb ‘acted with actual malice when he made the allegedly defamatory statements.’ Additionally, the judge concluded that Netrebko’s team were unable to prove that ‘Gelb’s 2024 and 2025 remarks’ were made in retaliation for the lawsuit.” – OperaWire
- Cate Blanchett, Herbert Blomstedt, Jenny Holzer, Daniel Libeskind, Andy Goldsworthy Win 2026 Praemium Imperiale
This year’s laurates of the ¥15 million (approximately $95,000) prize, awarded by the Japan Art Association in the categories of painting, sculpture, architecture, theatre/film, and music, are visual artists Holzer and Goldsworthy, architect Libeskind, actress Blanchett, and 99-year-old conductor Herbert Blomstedt, who was still working until earlier this year. – Artforum
- The Dance-Pop Singer That Argentines Treat As A Saint, Complete With Prayers, Shrines And Miracles
Miriam Alejandra Bianchi, known by the stage name Gilda, died 30 years ago in a highway collision, and she’s since become one of Argentina’s many folk saints, not officially recognized by the Vatican but venerated by ordinary people nevertheless. Gilda’s wrecked tour bus has even become a pilgrimage site. – AP
- What Does A Healthy Arts Ecosystem Look Like?
A healthy cultural ecosystem needs not just the creation and presentation of art. It needs education, access, discovery, interpretation and criticism, documentation, advocacy, funding, participation, connection, preservation and audience development. – Culture OC
- Fans Are Angry That This Season’s “Dancing With The Stars” Features Stars Who Can Already Dance
“Why do you keep adding professionally trained dancers to the cast?” tweeted one fan in response to the news that the next crop of celebrity competitors — Jenna Dewan, Julia Stiles, and Harry Shum Jr. — have all at some point danced for their livelihood. – The Independent (UK)
- Hollywood’s Record Summer Box Office Has Analysts Dreaming Of A $10B Year
The summer’s total was a nearly 30% improvement on the lackluster 2025 season. Notably, this summer’s tally was 9% higher than that of the same period in 2019 — before the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes upended the industry — though when accounting for inflation, this summer ends up ranking below. – Los Angeles Times
