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Press Releases
Jennifer Ritvo Hughes Named Executive Director of Boston Baroque
Jennifer Ritvo Hughes Named Executive Director of Boston Baroque
October 9, 2018—Boston, MA—David Friend, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Boston Baroque, and Music Director Martin Pearlman are delighted to announce the appointment of Jennifer Ritvo Hughes as the company’s new Executive Director, effective November 26, 2018.
Ms. Hughes is currently the Executive Director of Cantata Singers, where over the past six years she has built the group’s audience and donor base through innovative marketing and outreach, as well as led the organization through a successful 50th anniversary season. Prior to that position, Ms. Hughes was Director of Publicity and Coordination for the Arts at Wellesley College and a Development Associate for the Boston Early Music Festival. She graduated with a B.A. in music from Wellesley College and earned a master’s degree in musicology from Brandeis University. She was born and raised in Newton, MA and currently resides in Needham, MA.
“Jennifer’s entrepreneurial approach to arts management coupled with her strong musical background will be a major asset for us going forward, as we accelerate plans to bring our unique artistic product to new audiences in Boston and beyond,” said Mr. Friend.
Music Director Martin Pearlman added, “Jennifer knows our field well and will bring important skills and new ideas to Boston Baroque. I very much look forward to working with her.”
Ms. Hughes is likewise enthusiastic about her future with Boston Baroque. “Boston Baroque is one of this city's musical treasures,” she said. “I am thrilled to be taking the helm as the organization prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary season in 2023 and looks ahead to a vibrant and vital next 50 years."
Ms. Hughes succeeds Miguel Rodriguez, who has served as Executive Director for the past six years. Mr. Rodriguez is stepping down in order to pursue his interest in the arts outside of the non-profit world. The Board, musicians, and staff of Boston Baroque extend their sincere appreciation to Mr. Rodriguez for his inspirational leadership.
“Miguel has been tireless in raising the profile of the organization through investments in artistic excellence, community outreach, and digital initiatives,” said Board President Carla Heaton. Mr. Pearlman elaborated, “Boston Baroque is grateful to Miguel for his many accomplishments. He created our Opera Guild, created our Classics for Kids program and our series of community concerts, started the Boston Baroque radio station, helped raise the standard of our opera soloists to a world-class level, and refreshed the image of our ensemble through improved branding and social media.”
ABOUT BOSTON BAROQUE
Founded in 1973 as “Banchetto Musicale” by Music Director Martin Pearlman, Boston Baroque’s orchestra is composed of some of the finest period-instrument players in the United States who are frequently joined by the ensemble’s professional chorus and by world-class, top instrumental and vocal soloists from around the globe. The ensemble presents an annual subscription series consisting of five programs performed at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall in Boston and at Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre in Cambridge for their annual New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day festivities.
Boston Baroque’s career milestones include the American premiere of Rameau’s Zoroastre in honor of the composer’s 300th birthday in 1983, a Mozart opera series including the American period-instrument premieres of Don Giovanni in 1986 and The Magic Flute in 1989 along with The Marriage of Figaro and Così fan tutte. The orchestra also presented a revelatory exploration of the complete Beethoven symphonies on period instruments. In 1998 – 1999, the ensemble gave the modern premiere of The Philosopher’s Stone, a singspiel newly discovered to include music by Mozart which shed fresh light on his canon.
In recent years, Boston Baroque presented Boston’s first complete cycle of the surviving operas of Monteverdi with new performing editions by Martin Pearlman of L’incoronazione di Poppea and Il ritorno d’Ulisse, the recording of which received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Opera Recording in 2015. A series of Handel operas including Agrippina, Alcina, Xerxes, Giulio Cesare, Semele, and Amadigi di Gaula brought the Boston Baroque international recognition. In April of 2018, their performances of Beethoven’s Fidelio met with outstanding critical acclaim.
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